


Undercover Spirit

by Shinigamibutter



Category: ASTRO (Band)
Genre: Agent Eunwoo, Agent Myungjun, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - High School, Badboy Jinjin, Boss Moonbin, Bullying, Crossdressing, Dark, Demonic Possession, Edited, Fights, God Rocky, God Sanha, M/M, Minor Relationships, One-Sided Attraction, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Ships to be decided as I go, Slow Build, Spirits, Violence, hints of SanWoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-07-11 00:53:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15961217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinigamibutter/pseuds/Shinigamibutter
Summary: Myungjun is an undercover 'agent' who with the help of his companion god, Rocky, 'takes care of' spirits. His newest assignment will see him back to high school. But could this assignment also lead him to love?





	1. Assignment

**Author's Note:**

> I told myself I’d never write a high school fic...but here we are because I have crossdressing needs. *sigh*

“Tell me you’re not serious.” Myungjun couldn’t stop his face from falling when he opened the package his boss had handed him. Afterward he sat it on the desk between them staring at it in disbelief. It was his next assignment, the files, clothes, and anything else he might need to go with it. After all undercover work couldn’t be done on the fly like it was in the movies. At least not properly. And Myungjun was all about getting the job done.

“Of course I’m serious.” Moonbin’s answer didn’t assuage his feelings any as he looked down at the package again. His boss’s face hadn’t changed, his handsome jaw still set and his eyes still hard. He had known before asking that his boss was always serious when it came to work, everything else not so much, but work was different. “You took this job knowing you’d have to do some crazy things Myungjun, crossdressing is just par for the course.” His boss continued with a wave of his hand at the package.

Myungjun wanted to disagree, to refute the idea entirely. Of course he couldn’t because Moonbin was right. He’d taken the job knowing what it entailed, crossdressing was just adding to many of the inconveniences he’d already had to suffer. Still he found a quip finding its way onto his tongue anyway. “But a school girl? A high school girl?” He gave himself a glance and knew that he could probably pull it off, he just didn’t want to. Why would he want to? 

“You’re not that much older than a highschool student.” Moonbin’s answer didn’t stop him from scowling, after all his boss was, technically, even younger than him. A student himself, just one gifted in both wealth and knowledge. “Either way the target was, is, a high school boy, I doubt he’d let you close enough to get the job done if you went in as a boy as well.” Moonbin’s eyes were scanning him, and Myungjun was afraid of what he’d say next, not that there was much he could do about it. 

“I’m sure you’ll pull it off nicely.” Moonbin cleared his throat a little and had the good sense to look embarrassed before he continued. “All the information is in the file. Remember don’t let him get away again. You know what it’s like to be haunted and latched onto. If nothing else think about how the target feels and I’m sure that will help you get over the discomfort.” With that the taller male waved him out of his office. “You’re dismissed.” 

Myungjun resisted the urge to sigh as he scooped up the package and took one last cursory glance at his boss. Moonbin had already gone back to his work, the top of his head showcasing the black roots of his hair. He thought about what color it might be the next time he saw him. He prayed it wouldn’t be whatever awful color the pink that his boss had dyed it with this time, had lied to him about being. There wasn’t an argument he could make against the assignment anyway. Not knowing how it felt to be latched onto.

Once the door had closed behind him, a soft click at his back before the door disappeared altogether into the air, he allowed himself to sigh. He’d never actually planned to get involved in these things. Had never wanted to get involved in these things. Instead he, like many others, had been dragged in by the forces around him. In much the same way as the target who had been latched onto. Though the entity in his case was much different than this one. Glancing around his apartment, bare save the basics and a few 'decorative pieces', he sighed again before opening the file. 

Skimming the details was enough to tell him that a relocation wasn’t required. For which he was grateful, he’d just paid his rent here and signed the lease for another year. Though it wouldn’t be the first time that Moonbin had made him break a lease by giving him an assignment. The rest of the details could wait until after a hot meal and a warm shower. He was already weary from the portal travel to begin with, he didn’t want to add the headache of chasing this spirit to the mix. That would come soon enough he was aware. 

Still he was able to forget about it as he placed an order for take-out and drew a nice hot bath to eat it in. There wasn’t anyone to judge him for it. One of the many perks of being a bachelor. Perks he had to remind himself of often as his lifestyle was now one best lived alone. After all what human woman, or man as he wasn’t discerning, was going to put up with magic doors popping up around him all the time. Or the strange and dangerous assignments he went on, even if they paid handsomely.

Despite how much he wanted to prolong the inevitable of going over the file he found himself bringing it into the bath with him. Setting it on the shelf that was designed specifically for readers that lay across the tub. Next to it was his takeout, which he ate slowly as he let the hot water work away his tension. He’d just finished his last assignment three days ago. A small child spirit that was causing havoc for their parents by refusing to move on. It had been a hard case emotionally, if not easy by all other standards. 

It was a lot easier to masquerade as a neighbor than it would be to play high schooler. Not that he was doubting himself, he wasn’t truly alone after all, not anymore. Though he wasn’t sure he wanted to count Rocky among company. A god companion wasn’t much good to many mortals after all. Though he had proved useful for Myungjun, himself, on several occasions. At least once they’d made friends, instead of the god being latched to him for mysterious reasons that the god refused to tell him. Even four years later Rocky hadn’t told him much of anything and only loaned him his powers when required.

Though Myungjun was sure he wouldn’t need too many of Rocky’s powers for this assignment. At least he hoped not with a final bite of his take-out, he picked up the file to find out for sure. The details were a bit vague, something that he’d grown accustomed to with Moonbin doing the files. If Eunwoo had seen it he’d probably have thrown it back in their shared boss’s face. But the other ‘agent’ was out on a different assignment according to Moonbin. Myungjun had the sneaking suspicion he’d been coaxed off to do something at Sanha’s behest. 

Sanha, being Eunwoo’s god companion and a much younger god than any he’d met so far. He really couldn’t blame the other as Sanha had a way of wheedling whatever he wanted out of any human. In much the same way the human he’d latched onto could charm any human with his beauty. A partnership forged by the gods is what Moonbin referred to their team as. Myungjun was no more able to refute it than anyone else that saw them together. Though that was a feat not many humans could boast of to begin with. Gods were present but not seen. 

Even now Rocky wasn’t anywhere to be seen, hiding away in the stone shrine Myungjun had constructed for him. One of the few decorative looking pieces in his apartment, but much like any other decorative piece in the place it served a double purpose. He could see it from where he sat still soaking in the tub if he’d left the door open. He hadn’t of course, or then the heat would escape. He wished he had, for just a moment, as he scanned over the file again trying to make more sense of it with a second go through. Though he knew it would take a third reading to really get it all down. So he put the file aside rubbing his eyes with his dry hand. That could wait until he was dry, clothed, and no longer in the tub.

It didn’t take him long to get back to the file, propping it open as he dried his hair, Rocky now over his shoulder doing what he did best. Using magic or divinity, or whatever one wanted to call it, he called it magic. And Myungjun knew its uses were much more limited than the stories made them out to be, the most useful aspect saving him from a few scrapes and subtly changing his looks. He knew, without asking, that Rocky didn’t possess the levels of magic required to change his gender. Though even if the god did he wouldn’t have asked anyway. Instead he had asked him to grow his hair longer and change the color, an easy feat for the god. A request he regretted once he looked into the mirror.

“Why this color?” He asked fingering a long strand of hair, he’d expected it to be black and straight. Instead it was a wavy brunette with undertones of red in it. It wasn’t bad, not what he’d expected, but flattering to both his face and skin tone. With the hair alone he’d admit he looked more feminine. In response to his question Rocky had only shrugged rolling long strands in his fingers staring at his reflection in the mirror, thoughts unreadable in deep brown eyes. Myungjun decided the question wasn’t worth pushing as he looked over the file the final time, he’d gotten the gist of it now.

“What’s our assignment?” Rocky’s voice was smoother and deeper than his looks implied, his age almost double Myungjun’s own. His personality too was quieter and somehow stronger, with an edge to it that showed in his eyes before. But his brown eyes had softened in the last minute and Myungjun found himself smiling at the god when their eyes met in the reflective surface. It made him happy when the god called them ‘their assignments’ because he knew deep down Rocky did not have to help him at all. The smile earned him a raised eyebrow but he didn’t let it falter.

“Do you remember that spirit that eluded us a few months back? Vashnu? Or whatever it’s name was.” Myungjun started keeping eye contact through the mirror, feeling and seeing as Rocky’s fingers played with his now long hair brushing through it before allowing it to drop at his waist where it fell against him. It was much longer than he’d anticipated but he didn’t mind. He also didn’t mind when Rocky started to braid it of his own accord as he went on. “Well he has, it has latched on to a new human. Moonbin thinks if we get close enough to the host this time we can be rid of it.” 

Rocky had nodded again silently tying Myungjun’s hair back, his dark eyes darting over to the file. “We’ll be going to a high school,” Myungjun hesitated slightly, it hadn’t been that long ago that he’d met Rocky in high school, they weren’t exactly fond memories. But he got the feeling he’d be having even less fond memories of high school this time around. “I’m going undercover as a high school girl, our target is a Park Jinwoo who has been latched onto.” Rocky only nodded again and Myungjun sighed internally. If his god was playing silent that could only mean there were tumultuous times ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shockingly enough I've started another wild ride. Have I mentioned I enjoy world building?


	2. School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't know what I'm doing. Why is anyone surprised? I would be shocked if one day I said I did know.

Becoming a high school girl was easy. At least Myungjun had found it to be so for the paperwork, the look, and convincing everyone around him he had indeed always been a girl. Though the gender part mostly had to do with Rocky’s magic and the paperwork had been all Moonbin, with an obvious dash of Eunwoo’s help. Those were the easy parts, the fabricated by someone else parts. But Myungjun knew that everything else was up to him. There wasn’t a high school girl personality template just laying around somewhere in the dusty filing cabinets of the office after all. At least he didn’t think there was a high enough chance to actually look. 

He knew in reality the personality was all on him. Thankfully Moonbin, or more likely Eunwoo with how through it was, had provided a background for this high school girl he was turning into. He’d read it at least five times since getting the file three days ago and had Rocky read it at least twice. Yet he still didn’t understand why it was so complicated, with a drawn out reason for choosing the school he’d be attending for however long this assignment took. He was hoping, praying, it would take no longer than two weeks. Realistically he knew he was looking at around a month minimum. 

Which was why he was out shopping for more clothes, a couple of school uniforms weren’t going to get him very far after all. As unlike Moonbin, who didn’t have anything to do with capturing the spirits directly, he knew it wouldn’t be that easy. And that trying to do any kind of spirit control at a school of any kind was risky. There were too many people who could be dragged into it or too much damage done to the surroundings. That along with the fact Rocky’s abilities were limited in a building of concrete and steel compared to place outdoors meant he was going to have to lure this Park Jinwoo kid somewhere. 

A task he supposed should be easier as a girl, or he told himself that repeatedly as he looked at the dresses, skirts, tight shirts, and jeans that he piled into the fitting room with him. After this outing it was time to look into the school itself and go sign the appropriate documents for his ‘transfer’. And he got the feeling that they’d ask him several questions about his school choice and why he was transfering so late into his high school career. Why else would Moonbin feel the need to get so detailed in his background. 

“Myungsoon, I don’t think that top’s your color.” Rocky’s voice broke him from his thoughts and had him frowning at his reflection. The name was one Moonbin, or possibly Eunwoo, had thought up for him, claiming it was cute. He just appreciated the fact it had enough of his own name he’d respond to it. But as to what Rocky had said he gave himself another twirl before the store’s triple mirrors, located just outside the fitting rooms for ‘boyfriends’ to wait, and pouted. The god was right. The hot pink portion that pulled up close to his neckline had his face looking paler, in a not so good way.

“What about the jeans?” He asked twirling again, pushing his hips this way and that so he could look over his own shoulder at the way they fit. He could see Rocky’s reflection in the mirror behind him. He was sitting uncomfortably in one of the chairs provided, but the god wasn’t really looking at him anymore. Instead Rocky was looking at himself now, frowning. Myungjun wasn’t sure he blamed him, it was rather odd to see the god without his horns. Which he’d absolutely refused to let him keep visible, even if the spell they were using allowed for it. He knew it would only draw attention to them which the god wouldn’t have appreciated. Instead of asking about the jeans again he sighed.

Looking at the small ‘acceptable’ pile next to the god he contemplated if it would be enough clothes. There were enough for maybe a week of outings outside the school and he knew some of his own clothes could pass for ‘tomboy’ choices. It would have to do. He looked at his watch pausing when his hair fell into his face in a wave, he was finding that long hair was hard to get accustomed to. “We’ve been at this for a while now, let’s just call it quits.” He decided after seeing they’d been shopping for well over an hour. 

Rocky perked up at the idea of leaving but said nothing more. Myungjun hadn’t expected him to and directed him to gather up their would be purchases while he changed. To his chagrin it still took them another twenty minutes to leave, as he just so happened to pick the same time as everyone else to check out. The time in line he spent wisely by trying to figure out what Rocky wanted to eat, they still had errands to run and there was no sense in going home before they were finished. And as a mountain goat god Rocky, could and would eat everything given to him endlessly. A luxury Myungjun didn’t share.

It was actually one of the many rather annoying traits of his companion. As when he’d been possessed, haunted, or latched onto whatever the term was, it had caused him to eat some very interesting things as well. And had him constantly on diets every other week or just plain sick. It had also been rather annoying after he’d been released and bonded to the shrine. At least before they had come to friendly terms, because Rocky would eat his homework when he was upset with him. Not that he could tell anyone that. 

Now it was just a matter of getting the god to agree to eat what was around them, human food wise, and not paper products. Though Myungjun knew it wasn’t even required for the god to eat at all when he was offered supplications, which he as a good host gave daily. Still Rocky wanted to eat as much as he could, and Myungjun didn’t have the heart to refuse him. Even if he was more than a little jealous about how the god never gained weight or aged. Those were thoughts he didn’t think on much though. They weren’t thoughts he felt that humans should dwell on.

Aging, according to Rocky, was a gift the gods bestowed to mortals so that they could mature as souls to ascend to the knowledge of the gods. Myungjun was of the opinion he’d only said that to make him feel better when he’d graduated high school two years ago. And thinking about going back to school brought the thought up again as they walked towards a table in the back to wait for service. He tried not to notice how the spell was fading enough that if you looked hard enough Rocky’s horns could be seen at his hairline. Small and barely longer than his pinky, they were cute. 

“After this you need to go back into the shrine.” He said it quietly so that the table behind them wouldn’t hear their conversation as he tapped the small stone he had placed on the table. Once Rocky went back in no one would remember he’d been there, but it was always better to be safe than sorry. The god nodded to him and nibbled a napkin quietly, Myungjun pretended not to notice that either as he looked over the menu. It wasn’t long before their order was in and he was pulling out his phone.

“What was the name of the school again?” He asked with a raised eyebrow at the straw that had once been full length in the god’s drink and the different shade of gray his hair had turned. “Stop changing your hair color on a whim when you’re visible.” He reprimanded quietly but he knew that in the moment it didn’t really matter and he wasn’t truly upset. Rocky seemed to know it too as he only shrugged, much to his annoyance. This was the reason it had taken them so long to be friendly, as a god Rocky thought differently about things than humans did. 

“I felt a darker gray was called for.” Rocky sniffed at his straw again before looking back to him. Myungjun noticed that his eyes were focused elsewhere, not really on him at all. It was the look that told him he was seeing things that Myungjun was not. Godly things. “The name of the school is All Might High.” The name was followed by a chuckle and a headshake. “Humans have some very odd names for things.” Anything else he would have said was cut off when their food arrived for them to cook it. 

Myungjun nodded in agreement anyway and his newly long hair slipped over his shoulder, annoyed he pushed it back staring at the god wondering what he was seeing. He’d asked once and gotten something of a half-baked answer about a palace. He hadn’t asked since because he knew that was all the information he’d be given. If it were important he’d be told. So he focused instead on his task of finding everything out about the school so he could answer any and all questions they asked. There wasn’t more than an hour before his appointment with them.

Pulling up the information he needed he kept an eye on the meat cooking, a perfected art. By the time the first piece was cooked he’d already come to understand why his background was complicated. As well as why Moonbin had said he’d have better luck as girl. It didn’t change much in the long run, there still wasn’t anything he could do about the assignment. He knew everything that he needed to know by the time they walked out of the restaurant. Honestly it was more than he’d ever wanted to know about the school.

He knew the information would serve him well the moment he walked into the office for his appointment. The staff looked him up and down, and not for the first time, he had to remind himself that he didn’t appear male. Rocky’s magic saw to that, and would continue to see to it until he asked him to cancel it. Still the looks made him uncomfortable as he approached one of the staff, the eyes of the older male staff lingering on him as he moved. “I’m Kim Myungsoon, I have an appointment.”

The elderly teacher he’d stopped in front of eyed him hard for a second before breaking out into a welcoming smile. She was older but she was still pretty, if not severe in the way she dressed with pant suit that screamed ‘all work and no play’. She was the only female staff currently present that he could see, though there were several empty desks. “Ah yes,” She stood up and ushered him towards a closed in space away from the lingering looks and he appreciated it. “Let’s discuss in here.”

The room was a small plain office with a desk and two chairs. It looked to be used communially as there were no personal touches in sight. Myungjun didn’t mind, as they settled into the surprisingly comfortable chairs, with the teacher opening a file before her. “I am teacher Lee.” She introduced herself and immediately looked down to his file without giving time for a response as she started the transfer talk and handed him documents. Discussing the school with him in length, testing his knowledge.

Just as he was about to start signing the teacher made him pause. “Are you sure about transferring here? We only recently started to allow girls into our campus, this year there are only enough to put two girls in each class.” He noticed the way her eyes drifted towards the window, the male teachers suddenly found their desks more interesting. “There’s still time to decide on a different school.” 

He appreciated her thoughts, the words she wasn’t saying were loud and clear. They made his stomach churn that she’d even need to imply them. But he wasn’t worried about men, students or otherwise. “It has to be this school. It was always my parent’s wish to send a boy here. They died before they got the chance and now that you’re accepting female students I know it will make them happy.” It was hard putting enough emotion into voice and the hard look he received made him wonder if the teacher had bought it. 

“I understand.” Teacher Lee nodded and he smiled at her signing the documents. He ignored the stares when he left just as he’d ignored them when he came in. But it wasn’t until he had left the office proper that he could breathe again. Just as he’d suspected when he learned it was previously an all boys school the air was oppressive. A mixture of negativity and restraint that still lingered after the opening of the gates. The perfect breeding grounds for things like Vashnu and his ilk.

He left with a sinking feeling of dread at returning on the first day of school. But he buried it under all the work he’d need to do. High school had been two years ago and even if he wasn’t staying, he’d still need to maintain passable grades. Sighing to himself he instead thought about the uniform, a plaid pink skirt that would be a lot more troublesome than he’d originally thought. He was halfway home before he realized he wasn’t sure he was actually one of the two girls in this Park Jinwoo’s class. He certainly hoped so as Moonbin hadn’t even provided a picture of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Ngl I'd kill for some fanart of Mj in a school girl uniform and Rocky with the cute goat horns. (at least I'm being honest)
> 
> Also the species of goat that Rocky is a: [Naemorhedus goral radeanus](http://www.cwkabp.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=monument03&wr_id=6)


	3. High School Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I'm back with another chapter. I really like the world in this fic. I hope you do too! ❤
> 
> As you can see I added more tags. If you're new to my fics I do try to tag before I post the content. So be on the look out for any tag changes because they will always proceed the story.

“Are you _sure_ I look a high schooler?” Myungjun asked for what he knew was probably the sixth time in as many minutes. He was only now trying on the uniform that Moonbin had given him roughly a week ago and he wasn’t convinced. Granted he hadn’t been convinced that anyone would buy him being female either. And he’d been wrong. Still he’d found himself twirling it in front of the mirror uncertain. It was cute, at least in the way he’d like it on an actual girl. Or someone who actually wanted to wear it. He wasn’t judging. 

Instead of an answer Rocky sighed heavily, rising from where he’d been sitting on the bed. Today his hair was short, framed around his horns and it looked touchable. Myungjun had been tempted to tossle it good naturedly, but he’d learned that lesson more than once. When the goat god stopped it was right behind him, his hand taking a handful of Myungjun’s new long hair, meeting his eyes in the mirror. There were days Myungjun would forget that Rocky was a god, despite the temperamental hair changes and the horns. Today was not one of those days.

There was something beyond time staring back at him from Rocky’s deep, almost black, brown eyes. A power emanating from him that Myungjun could feel along his scalp, as well as the strands of hair in the god’s hands. In moments like these he could easily imagine the younger looking male to be a powerful god in some circle of other powerful gods. It wasn’t true, as gods went Rocky was on the ‘bordering powerless’ side in comparison. To other gods at least, but not compared to humans of course. 

“Maybe if I braid your hair you’ll feel better about it?” The offer caught him off guard but Myungjun smiled, the timeless look was gone. The male beside him was just Rocky again. It made him breathe easier as deft hands started braiding his hair slowly. He found himself watching them through the mirror as the god was just a bit taller than him. Though he did find himself glancing at the clock every few minutes as well. Today was his first day of school and he wasn’t trying to be late. Which was why he’d woken up two hours early. “There.” 

Myungjun appraised himself in the mirror and had to lift an eyebrow at the elaborateness of the braid the god had given him. “Where did you learn to braid?” He asked fingering the soft strands that were now tied together with both ribbons and other strands of hair. Though he did refrain from asking where the ribbons came from, instead studying them in the mirror. They twined on both sides, as Rocky had seen fit to give him twintails of braids, one on each side just behind his ears.

“My worshippers used to braid me ribbons and leave them as offerings.” His voice was soft and barely there, from that alone Myungjun knew he’d brought up conflicted memories. “I always loved them.” The tone of the god’s voice made his heart ache but the moment was over just as quickly as it had come. “I can fix your hair from now.” One finger drifted over his hair again and Myungjun smiled his consent before turning away from the mirror.

“I’ll take you up on the offer. It looks good.” Myungjun ignored the way his skirt fluttered as he turned quickly towards the bed with a smile. Rocky was surprisingly good at odd things and the moments he opened up about his godhood were rare. It was nice. But he knew he was running out of time if he was going to make the bus to get to school. An odd thought he’d thought he’d never have again. Yet here he was, now rushing around to get ready for high school, again.

In the end he arrived at the bus stop just in time to board with the other high schoolers of the area. A rainbow of uniforms he was accustomed to seeing from afar, after all he had a car. Fat lot it did him now though as the school did not allow students to drive to school. There wasn’t parking for it. Though he supposed this would be helpful in picking out who he lived near. There were at least five boys who were on the bus looking at him and his uniform, their colors matched his own. 

The uniform was colored by a pale pink and white plaid tie that matched the pattern of his skirt. He knew the new plaid colors had been chosen to lure in girls now that the school was co-ed. Still they weren’t awful on the boys as the rest of the uniform was black and any man knew that men wear pink without complaint. He smiled at them politely, nervously but doing his best not to look flirty. He didn’t need that. The boys smiled back and looked over him before turning back to the games in their hands as more riders got on. 

Four stops. That was how far away the school was from his place and Myungjun wondered if it would just be faster to walk. The flow of people on and off the bus in the morning was heavy and made the bus crowded. Though he noted that by the time they were one stop from the school there were at least ten to fifteen boys that wore the same school uniform as his own. The vast majority of the boys on the bus had tried to pretend he didn’t exist, especially when they exited. And it was only then he wondered how many of them had ever actually interacted with girls before. 

Luckily enough his parents had seen the good sense to send him to a co-ed school all the way through. Granted his parents had thought he was going to be a girl for the longest time as well and moved to a more remote area before his birth. They’d moved back a few years afterward to the city where he’d later been possessed by a god. Thinking back on it now he wondered if he was truly lucky, not that he’d ever tell Rocky that. After all, the god wasn’t the problem just the career path he’d railroaded him into.

Tires coming to a halt, and the slight lurch forward of the bus’s momentum drew him from his thoughts. The school gates were a few feet away and already swarmed with other high school students. Disembarking from the bus took longer than getting on had and further cemented the idea that walking was a better option. That was when he saw them, obvious delinquents with ties at half mast, shirts untucked, and cigarettes hanging limply from their fingers. A shiver ran down his spine when he made eye contact. 

The boy in question only smirked at him and made a kissy face. Easy enough to ignore as Myungjun huffed past them through the gate, his eyes trying not to linger on the odd men out. The first being the tallest of the bunch with his shirt half tucked, his blue eyes spoke of fire, and his hair was dyed an unnatural blonde. The second was the shortest member with deep eyes that grabbed onto him despite his desire for disinterest. They were both attractive in the badboy sort of way he supposed. 

Attractive enough for the girls he passed, all wearing the same uniform as him, to be gossiping about them. Their words a mere whisper but their actions hard to miss with the way they openly pointed. Unaccustomed to the way that all the male students would pay attention to them he was sure. He’d asked teacher Lee why there were so many senior girls, her answer had been a recent girl's school closing. From the way the girls were giggling together, practically glued to one another, he suspected they were it. 

Still he kept his own head down, the building was almost alive with the energy of the students and teachers in it. Almost too much for his now honed senses to bear. There was nothing like teenagers for lack of emotional control and high spiritual energy. Gripping tighter to the small stone from Rocky’s shrine he’d brought with him he made his way to his classroom. Everyone else was milling about waiting for the bell to sound, he’d rather have a good seat with a vantage point before that. 

He groaned internally seeing that the seating chart was written on the board on a sheet of paper. It meant he didn’t have a say in where he sat. However it also gave him insight into whether Park Jinwoo was in his class. He never got the chance, the boy with the deep mesmerizing eyes knocked into him, no apology and then he was being shoved behind other students. He noticed a slip of the deep eyed boy’s button up shirt gave him a glance at a tattoo on his chest before the boy was gone. Leaving for a different classroom while the boy with the blue eyes stayed. 

Myungjun smiled politely as the blue eyed blonde sat next to him and he stared up at the board. The sliver of tattoo was stuck in his mind even when class began. There was something about that group of boys, he idly wondered if Park Jinwoo were in that group. He hadn’t gotten the vibe of an evil spirit from any of them, but that didn’t always mean much. Class was little more than a blur of introductions that went over his head. 

The only name he remembered being his own, their teacher’s, and the blue eyed boy beside him. One Yoo Hyun, whose gentle sounding name didn’t suit his looks or the group he’d seen him with earlier. Settling into the humdrum of classroom work was easy enough and Myungjun swore to himself that he’d find Park Jinwoo over lunch. There were only two senior classes after all how hard could it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	4. Classmates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow I feel like this is subtly slipping into a Myungjun harem. Oh well. I mean it's not in the plans but I'm sure you'll see what I'm saying. I'll try to update on Sundays...Empahsis on try.

Lunch hadn’t offered anymore results than looking at the seating chart had and Myungjun found himself with only a touch more information than he’d started with. Not that it was for a lack of trying on his part. He’d come up with a reasonably believable excuse to ask about the other student, and he was certain the reason had gone over well. No the problem was that at the mere mention of the name Park Jinwoo everyone who’d swarmed around him had frozen. A look of not quite fear entering their eyes. An interesting reaction that he’d noted. 

More noteworthy still was the answer the one person, an Im Han, had given him. The answer itself having been muttered while Im Han passed him on the way back to his seat when the bell signaling the end of lunch sounded. A simple but effective ‘You shouldn’t go looking for Park Jinwoo’ that sent a shiver down his spine. It had been said softly, not quite whispered but it carried all the menace that a warning should. The only question he had as the desks filled back up was if it was a warning from Im Han or from the target in question.

Myungjun wasn’t able to think about it much longer when Yoo Hyun reclaimed his seat, smiling at him and winking in a way that made him blush. Thankfully the teacher walked in at that moment and whatever the blonde had been about to say was cut off. Whatever it was Myungjun wasn’t sure he wanted to hear it now or ever. He’d already been offered ‘private tutoring’ sessions by at least three of his classmates. And he was certain that none of them had studying on their mind. Not that it mattered, he wouldn't be the one walking away disappointed in the end. 

What did matter was that he still didn't have any real leads and Vashnu had reportedly been with Park Jinwoo for well over a month. Or most likely had been with him since Myungjun had failed to capture the spirit the first time. Which meant that before long, if he hadn’t already, Jinwoo would be exhibiting evil behaviors that could cause possible drastic changes of character. Or already had depending on how susceptible the younger male was to spiritual urgings. Though Myungjun knew that knowing would be impossible without knowing how Jinwoo was before he was latched onto. 

In Myungjun’s own case it had taken him awhile to notice the changes that Rocky had brought about in him. Though by the time that he had there had been things about himself he’d been unable to change back, most of which led him into his current job. He was drawn from his thoughts when a slip of paper touched the underside of his arm, cold fingertips brushing the side. Yoo Hyun didn’t look at him but he knew that’s who had slid the note over. The teacher was looking at another student when he carefully took it.

Myungjun didn’t miss the half smile on his classmate’s face when he opened the note slowly. But its contents surprised him even more than getting a note had, since the last note he’d received had been from Moonbin. Granted that note had been work related and promptly turned to dust when he folded it back up. A neat trick really. This note however was quite different from the one that Moonbin had sent him. And it had nicer handwriting.

The note read: ‘Forget Jinwoo, why don’t you focus on me?’

This note didn’t turn to dust when Myungjun folded it back up and stored it in his pencil case, a cute yellow one he’d had since his own high school days. He wished it would have though. He also wished Yoo Hyun wouldn’t keep glancing at him for an answer of some kind throughout the rest of class. There wasn’t an answer he could give him after all. As something told him, other than having seen him with the delinquents that morning, that Yoo Hyun did not like taking no for an answer. 

When classes did finally end, much to Myungjun’s relief the boys in class left him alone unlike at lunch when they’d swarmed him and the other girl in class. Unexpectedly though it was the other girl in class who stopped him, her eyes alight behind the heavy glasses that she wore. Her hair a deep black that ended at her shoulders and did her no favors in making her uniform shapely on her as it seemed a size too big. She’d been called on for the last question in class which was the only reason he remembered her name. Song Swan, it didn’t suit her. 

“You’re new here right.” Song Swan asked him, her voice melodic if not befitting her features it at least suited her name. As she spoke Myungjun noticed that the boys that hadn’t swarmed him again were watching nervously from the classroom door. The door Yoo Hyun had huffily strode through just a few minutes before, not even bothering to look back after not getting an answer. He only nodded to her question wondering what it was with everyone asking him questions but not answering his. 

“Stay away from Yoo Hyun.” There was malice in the voice, and he realized that she had seen the blonde pass him that note from behind him where she sat. As the teacher had thought it best to put both girls in front of their desk and in one spot to keep a better eye on them. And it so far had proved a fortuitous decision as more of the boys looked their direction than the teacher’s for the first few classes. As if they couldn’t believe there were girls there. “I mean it Kim Myungsoon!” Her chest puffed up as she spoke.

Sighing internally he debated on how to handle this. Obviously this girl either had a crush on Yoo Hyun, or was, in a very unlikely scenario, his girlfriend. He supposed the latter could be possible if she were prettier under her glasses as she as well looked the delinquent type, probably. He wasn’t really sure what the type was for girls anymore, at one point it had been dye jobs and loose socks. Back when he was a freshman, the last time he’d had time to care about such things really. “I don’t have anything to do with Yoo Hyun.” He crossed his arms under his fake boobs.

“I saw him pass you that note.” Song Swan defended, her glasses catching the light in that menacing but comical way that always happened in animes. However, it really just allowed Myungjun to see through them a little less, unaffected by such minor illusions. She hadn’t reacted well to his arms crossing, her own feet taking a stance he recognized as a fighting one. He tried not to sigh aloud as she went on. “I’ll only warn you this once.”

Myungjun uncrossed his arms and opened up his body language, while also subtly shifting to a more maneuverable position. It had been a long time since he’d thrown down with a human, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t. He’d prefer not to of course, so he answered her as honestly as he felt he should. “I’m only interested in Park Jinwoo.” For some reason once he’d said that it felt like all eyes were on him, intensely enough that it brought a soft blush to his cheeks. It hadn’t sounded the way he’d meant it. And his excuse to find him wasn’t going to help the implications any. 

Instantly Song Swan deflated with an exhale and a soft smile, one that made her look prettier than she was. “Good.” With that said she flounced out of the room with the boys at the door making way for her, but still watching as her shorter than allowed skirt bounced behind her. It was just barely long enough to cover everything it needed to, as she swung her hips along with her bag as she walked. Somehow it felt like he’d dodged a bullet when they all dispersed and made a beeline for the front gate, closing the door behind them as if to give him space. 

He appreciated it honestly as the day had not gone at all to plan. If anything it seemed he’d managed to draw a target on his back instead of locking onto his own. He had a feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better as well. With that thought in mind he opened the classroom door and froze. Instead of the hallway he’d been expecting to see there was a the familiar desk of the office, and as always Moonbin behind it. Though, for the first time since he’d met him, Moonbin was the one surprised to see him open the door and not the other way around.

After all, if he were being honest Myungjun had half expected this. It used to happen all the time in high school. Except back then he was usually angry about it and flustered because it was always when he least expected it. Now after having known Moonbin so long it was nothing. But the look on Moonbin’s face this time was far different from any time before, what with a light flush and his aversion to Myungjun’s eyes. Deciding that waiting for the younger to speak was the best option he closed the door behind him and took a seat. 

One minute later Moonbin was rearranging the papers on his desk as if nothing had happened, the blush deepening on his face when he looked up again. “You do realize you can just call me.” Myungjun snipped when their eyes met, and he saw his boss swallow hard on that thought as if he’d remember it next time. They both knew he wouldn’t, he liked to show off too much. With a sigh and a shrug Myungjun launched into what he knew his boss wanted to know. 

“So you didn’t make any progress?” Moonbin scratched his chin in thought and Myungjun resisted saying anything about how if his boss had provided more information he might have. It wasn’t always Moonbin’s fault anyway, he only passed on the information that their clients provided to them first. And they weren’t always considerate of the fact that their workers were human and not spirits in nature despite the fact they worked alongside gods. Thus they needed more information to go on than an inkling.

“I didn’t think you would.” The voice wasn’t Moonbin’s and was from behind but Myungjun didn’t stand or turn around. “I told you that you should ask for more information.” Eunwoo’s voice was stern and the chastised look on the boss’s face was worth it to stay facing him. But Myungjun did look afterwards smiling at the very handsome human and the taller, but no less attractive, god beside him. They were both younger than him but he prided himself in looking younger than Eunwoo at least. 

“There’s no more information to give.” Moonbin sighed and held up a folder. “Unless you want to hound them this time, they seem to like you better anyway.” He smiled jokingly and picked up another folder opening it. “Either way how was it?” There was a gleam in his eyes that Myungjun recognized from when he completed his own assignments. Instead of an answer Moonbin was handed a new folder with an eye roll.

“How do you think it was?” Sanha’s smirk was cute, bordering silly but it was triumphant. Myungjun wasn’t surprised. Moonbin only hmmed at him looking over the folder and pulling out a crystal, the color of washed and faded glass. It was small, no bigger than Moonbin’s palm but it brought a smile to his face. “We did good.” The god reiterated only to get a nod and soft smile. Signal enough for them to leave it seemed as Eunwoo was pulling on his shoulder, moving towards the door. 

“You look good in that uniform.” There was a playful lilt to Eunwoo and Sanha’s voices as they left throwing the words over their shoulder. Lingering just long enough for him to see their solicitous smiles. The door closed on their combined laughter and Myungjun felt his face heating up. He’d almost been able to forget that Rocky’s magic held no power in this pocket dimension, almost. Though he’d remembered when Moonbin had blushed and it reminded him that he really did look like a guy in drag. 

Probably not very good drag. As he allowed Rocky’s magic to hide his adam’s apple, give him the illusion of boobs, granted very small ones, and curves. Looking down at himself in the chair he sighed, at least he’d thought he looked good in it regardless. Having at least checked by having Rocky spell his mirror to dispel magic reflected in it for a period of twenty minutes. Even though the god had whined about it for the whole thirty minutes it had taken to set up, he’d done it. 

“Eunwoo’s right, you look good in the uniform, like I thought you would.” Moonbin broke the silence that followed the others departure then cleared his throat looking away. Myungjun could see a new blush blossoming on his cheeks. “But if that’s all I’ll see what I can find out, I doubt it’s anything. After all, we’re dealing with Agatha again.” Nodding Myungjun stood deciding he didn’t know what to do with that first comment anymore than he knew what to do with the note from Yoo Hyun. 

Apparently it seemed Myungsoon was the type to gather admirers. Pushing that thought aside Myungjun headed towards the door. He silently hoped that Moonbin would be nice enough to see him to the inside of his apartment. He smiled over his shoulder as he left. The last words he heard were ‘good luck out there’ before Moonbin and the office were gone. And thankfully, as he’d wished, he was standing in his own apartment. Rocky was standing by his shrine, arms crossed and his hair short today. 

Myungjun already knew what he wanted as he stripped off his clothes and pulled up his favorite recipe for entrails. It was time for the offering, not the daily offering but the bi-monthly bonding offering that kept them together. He tried not to think about how this ritual had changed his diet completely as he put on something more comfortable. The moment he opened the fridge he was hit with the desire to eat the entrails raw, he wouldn’t of course. The only time he’d had raw cow intestines it hadn’t gone over very well. Thus the recipe. 

Everything else would have to wait until tomorrow. Until after the ritual. Which really didn’t feel like a ritual at all. To complete it all he had to do was eat cow intestines, or other animal’s intestines he just preferred cow, and say a few words before they ate. Then immediately afterwards enter Rocky’s shrine space and touch every wall with him. Simple stuff, things he’d agree to do in order to receive Rocky’s help. He was thankful that the god no longer took over his body to see the ritual done as he had done before they got along so well. 

Actually Myungjun was just grateful that all the magic, rituals, and what not he’d fallen into weren’t evil. As he’d seen it all too often, a fallen god that never got back up again. That turned evil and drug as many humans with it as they could in the same way evil spirits did. He smiled at Rocky as he thought about it, the smell of his sacrifice cooking on the stove. If it was only a diet plan he felt he was getting away easy. And in the back of his mind he hoped that Park Jinwoo might get away this easy as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Personally I'm excited for the story! And we meet Jinjin, finally, next chapter.


	5. Bad Boy Jinwoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been not so secretly wanting to write this part forever. I'm also been dreading it just as long.
> 
> Just a side note but the rating in this may go up. I don't think it will need to, but if you've read my works before you know I'm not in control.

As he’d suspected Myungjun found walking was much faster as he made his way to the school for his second day of high school. The morning was brisk and he was glad that he’d remembered to grab the school jacket, a pink blazer really, that matched the plaid of his skirt. When he’d first seen the design together after returning from the office he’d told himself he’d never wear it. Rocky had laughed when he put it on, but under the magic it didn’t look so bad. At least that’s what Myungjun told himself ignoring the stares as he walked. 

There were very few other high schoolers walking, but he did see a few from his ‘new school’ mostly younger looking boys walking together. He could feel their youth from across the street, a side effect of the ritual. The other being a heightened awareness of spiritual presence. He wished it would be enough to locate Park Jinwoo but he knew better. He was certain that it would only make the day uncomfortable as it had back in his own high school days when he renewed the bond. 

He found his prediction was right as he approached the school, even a block away he could feel its energy. Coming up on the gate he could see the miasma that hung in the air. While normally he could detect it, he couldn’t see. But he could today, after the ritual. He’d also seen a faint miasma around a few businesses as well on his walk, a sure sign of spirits. Though there being a miasma didn’t mean the spirits were evil, powerful usually but not always evil. As he’d learned the hard way spirits rot just like the flesh that might have once housed them. In a way gods did too.

Just as he was about to enter the school grounds he saw Yoo Hyun, hanging out with the same group as yesterday. Though today the cigarettes were absent, Myungjun looked away as soon as he saw them. The note from the other day was still in his pencil case, no more resolved than before. He could feel the blue eyes boring into him as he approached the gate, and the pull of those deep eyes as well. There was something about them that called to him. Something that the ritual hung to as Yoo Hyun broke from the group. 

Myungjun was forced to a standstill when the blonde held his arm up in front of him. The giggling girls a few feet away stopped to stare. Among them he saw Song Swan, her eyes narrowed behind her thick glasses, he turned away from her quickly. “So do you have an answer?” Yoo Hyun’s voice was low, almost like a sweet caress across his skin but it smelled of nicotine and violence. The undertone of blood unmistakable after Myungjun had spilled so much himself. He noticed the small cut on the blonde’s lip, it was recent. 

“I gave you an answer by not replying yesterday.” Myungjun turned up his nose, looking past the blonde at the group behind him. He probably couldn’t take them all, but he was willing to try if he had to. Yet, despite his concerns Yoo Hyun only smirked at his response, a hand lifting to his cheek. Finger tips ghosted over his skin. He resisted the urge to flinch at the hollow echo of a lover’s touch in that action. “I only have interest in Park Jinwoo.” He found himself repeating the same words he’d told Song Swan as he stared into fiery blue eyes. 

The tall blonde nodded, his fingers caressing his cheek one last time, there was a sadness in his eyes as he drew them back. “I’m gentler than he is. He will break you.” Yoo Hyun’s voice shook with his head as he pulled back completely, retreating to the group of other boys. Myungjun wasn’t sure what to make of the encounter or the whispers that went up around him afterwards. He took one look around, doing his best not to land back on the deep mesmerizing eyes that called to him. No one paid him anymore attention as he headed into school. 

After that the day faded by slowly, filled with different teachers due to block scheduling and more lessons he wanted nothing to do with. The most interesting thing to happen as he drifted through classes was that between the first and second class Yoo Hyun left the classroom and hadn’t come back. Though before that he’d basically ignored him anyway. Not that Myungjun could blame him, it had been something of a public rejection. Since then none of his classmates had really talked to him either.

With the exception of Song Swan who had hugged him quickly when he emerged from the girl’s bathroom after third period. She quietly thanked him for rejecting Yoo Hyun and then she’d run off, her black hair bouncing behind her along with her skirt. He’d been decent enough not to look. The boys around hadn’t, but that wasn’t his problem. The whispers that followed him afterwards were. They were all whispering about Park Jinwoo, their voices dying down as soon as he approached. 

As lunch neared there grew a foreboding feeling in the air, and he knew it had nothing to do with the miasma or emotional highs of high schoolers. It pricked along his skin as he returned to class after the odd moment with Song Swan. She smiled at him from her desk as the last class before lunch started. He didn’t remember a single word that the teacher had said when the lunch bell sounded. His focus solely on the tiny jolts of electricity on his skin, the feeling of power well beyond his dangling just within perception, while just out of it as well.

The feeling had him glued to his seat despite how everyone around him scurried away as the boy with the mesmerizing eyes entered the classroom. Whispers followed him and his foot on Myungjun’s desk announced him with a resounding thud. Involuntarily Myungjun flinched, backing up from the impact, chair and all. This close he could see the deep eyes were brown, matching his hair. The sliver of tattoo from before was now on full display, a lion in a crown, that was revealed by an open uniform shirt that stopped just at the muscular top of a six pack.

Myungjun swallowed looking around the room with a quick millisecond glance, any longer and he knew there would be consequences. He saw the teacher was gone, and the boys as well as Song Swan had all retreated to the door in a matter of seconds. The increase of power pressing against his skin hurt, the sensitivity to it from the ritual making it hard to breathe. All the small hairs on his body stood at attention and he couldn’t look away from the boy before him. More accurately his eyes, they didn’t hold the same emotion as his voice when he spoke.

“I heard you’ve been looking for me.” The voice was low, slow, and full of power that no human should have. Power that slid against Myungjun’s face as he realized who the boy was. No, he knew this wasn’t a boy, it was a man. A man with more power riding down his boot against the desk than Vashnu had ever possessed. He struggled to swallow and respond but the most he could manage was only a nod while staring into those deep brown eyes. “Well I’m here now,” The voice continued after a short pause. “I’ve come to claim you.”

Myungjun was finally able to swallow even as the panic rose inside him. “Claim me?” His voice was a squeak, high and pitchy with his fear. It had been a very long time since he’d truly felt this terrified or under prepared. Moonbin was going to get an earful if he made it out of this. But he kept his eyes trained ahead and his thoughts clear. Park Jinwoo leaned forward on his knee, a hand outstretched. There was a shadow of something in his eyes, a light that vanished instantly. A possession, this Jinwoo was fighting it and losing. He’d seen it before.

“Claim you.” Park Jinwoo repeated, his fingers taking hold of the loose hairs that framed Myungjun’s face from a day’s wear on his long single braid. The younger rolled the hairs in his fingers, smiling. “I allowed Yoo Hyun the chance.” Myungjun swallowed thickly as he watched the fingers twine through the loose hairs, the strength of it pulling at his scalp. Forcing him to lean forward or have the hairs pulled out. “He warned you.” The words were soft, and he thought for a moment the brunette would let go.

Just as suddenly as he’d appeared Park Jinwoo pulled his hair forward, yanking Myungjun’s head into the desk, placing his foot on top keeping him there. Hair still trapped in his fingers. “No one is to talk to Kim Myungsoon.” It was a growl, a command that was followed by whispers. Their words clear as day, riding on the power that wanted him to hear, to understand his new position as the foot above ground down lightly. “She belongs to me.” More whispers followed as Myungjun was pulled up by his hair, the boot back on the desk.

The whispers were louder now, filling his head along with the flow of pounding blood in his ears. Words that he understood the meaning behind and chased a cold sweat down his spine. Some of what he heard he had suspected. From ‘I thought Jinwoo didn’t start fights’ along with ‘didn’t Jinwoo only fight if they brought it to him’. And also ‘I feel bad for Myungsoon’ and ‘I didn’t think Jinwoo was a bully’ were the words that he heard clearest. Their image painting the picture for him. Park Jinwoo had changed, much more drastically than he’d been expecting so soon.

He wasn’t allowed to dwell on it as Park Jinwoo leaned in again, his fingers twisting the hairs one more time. Myungjun felt his breath catch at the veiled violence in deep brown eyes. This wasn’t what he’d been told. But he didn’t move, he could barely breathe or focus with the pricks of power now pinching his skin, more forcefully than before. Then the world stopped, Park Jinwoo’s face was right above his as he pulled him forward again by his hair. The exhale of air was all that stood between them when their lips met.

Violent, that was all Myungjun could think as a tongue was shoved into his open mouth, a jaw working around his cheeks. It was a vice as his neck was pulled into an angle for Park Jinwoo’s advantage. He wanted to hate it, but he had to at least admit to himself that if he weren’t sitting his knees would have gone weak. The feeling didn't last long as the younger pulled away, a smirk on his face at what Myungjun knew he saw as victory. “You belong to me.” The words were so low he knew only he could hear them. “I’ll come for you again tomorrow.” 

With that Myungjun’s head hit the desk again, this time he felt the skin break and blood drip from his temple at the force. Park Jinwoo let his hair drop away, a few strands still caught in his fingers. Myungjun didn't dare lift his head. Now was not the time or place for a full on fight. But when the time came he swore he would bring one as the other left the room quietly. The crowd at the door making room for him to pass by. Nothing was said as they filtered back in slowly, silently going about their business their eyes refusing to meet his.

Myungjun knew they wouldn’t talk to him until everything was under his control. And he got the feeling that would be much longer than he’d anticipated. But he still didn’t move as the classroom filled up, he waited until lunch was about over and made his way from the classroom. Catching the teacher in the hallway saying he was going to see the nurse, they smiled at him but said nothing about the blood. He knew why, but he didn’t care. Instead of the nurse’s office he made his way to the closet. Moonbin and him were going to have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My inspiration for bad boy Jinjin is a manhwa called Let Dai, if you haven't read it go do it. I warn you now you'll cry. But it's worth every tear.


	6. Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well here we are with some Moonbin is smitten moments...I don't know why they happened ok? I don't ship it but I am whipped for whatever the story wants from me. *shrug* including some Rocky moments. Oh well.
> 
> Also there will be more violence than I thought there would so I tagged more appropriately. There shouldn't be too much...But enough, and not all of it will be front in center but it will be there.

Myungjun made sure the coast was clear before he stepped into the darkened closet, not that it would hide the magic he was about to perform. That would require yet another spell, but he had the time. Or at least he would make the time. Pulling the stone he always kept with him from Rocky’s shrine he whispered to it, he could feel time slow as it warped around him. Rocky was not impressed when he saw him, if anything he looked grumpy and Myungjun couldn’t blame him. The ritual took more out of the god than it did him. 

“What?” The gruff greeting was expected so Myungjun smiled ignoring the way the god’s eyes narrowed. Pale fingers lifted towards the head wound, Myungjun pulled away with a wince when they connected even in the dark. “What happened?” Rocky’s voice was still gruff but there was no mistaking the underlying anger there. He might have gone on if Myungjun hadn’t held up a hand to his mouth with a single finger raised. He didn’t lower it until the god nodded in understanding.

Setting up the proper spells took both of them, and even with trapping them inside the time bubble of the shrine it took twenty minutes to complete each. Though Myungjun knew that outside the bubble only a measly five minutes had passed. Much better than the forty he’d be missing otherwise. Still it was tedious going about the silent task of making sure they were undetected as well as setting up the dimension door. He just hoped that Moonbin was actually at the office when he arrived. Though he knew there had never been a time when the younger male wasn’t before. 

Rocky was scowling at him by the time the spells were done and he was rapping on the door. Three knocks evenly spaced over a period of thirty seconds. If the spell was successful he’d arrive at the office, if it wasn’t he’d probably have to explain Rocky to a janitor. As the god was wearing a robe and not even pretending to hide his horns in his long hair. It was a risk he was willing to take, it at least was a risk he was aware of. Unlike the one that had blindsided him in the classroom. But Moonbin would hear all about that shortly he assured himself as he opened the door. 

He took a deep breath in relief as the office appeared before him. Moonbin at his desk, with newly dyed white hair, had jumped when he walked in. But he didn’t dare speak until both he and Rocky were over the threshold just in case it broke the spell, he found his voice once the door clicked behind him. “This is not what I agreed to.” Were the first words that left his lips as his boss settled back down in his chair trying to catch his heart. Rocky beside him was giving him a wide curious look, wanting his own questions answered.

Moonbin sat there mouth gaping like a fish for all of three seconds before he was to his feet, worry etched across his face. “You’re hurt.” Myungjun only crossed his arms and sighed. The wound was the least of his concerns at the moment but he allowed his boss to fret over it with Rocky for a few seconds. “What happened? What do you mean it’s not what you agreed to? Who did this?” The questions were increasingly pitched, worry laced, and followed by small lingering touches to his arms.

“That’s not the concern right now.” Myungjun lifted his arm blocking his boss from healing the wound. He felt bad at the sad look it earned him and he wasn’t sure what to think of the coloring cheeks that followed as Moonbin sat back down. As if he were being admonished for overstepping his bounds. Sighing again Myungjun took a seat, also pointedly ignoring the narrowed eyes of the god who sat down next to him. “The one who did this is the problem, and isn’t what we were told he is.” 

It was Moonbin’s turn to narrow his eyes as he sat up straight, his boss face falling into place over the look of worry. “Tell me everything.” It wasn’t a question, and the power in his voice told Myungjun that his boss was upset. Honestly he was upset too and would be even more so if he were in Moonbin’s position. As the one who had been lied to instead of the one who had unintentionally been sent in blind. Though neither were a good position to be in. 

Still it wasn’t as easy to talk about it as it was to throw accusations, even if they were of the most serious accord. “Park Jinwoo,” He started touching his forehead, fighting the wince at the lump he found there. He’d have his boss clean it up at least before he left. “He isn’t possessed by an evil spirit.” He could feel the silence grow deeper in the room, there were very few things that possessed humans and he’d just crossed the most common off the list. He swallowed thinking hard on the evidence he’d found before he finished eyes locked on Moonbin’s. “It’s a demon.” 

There was a low whistle from his boss while Rocky bleated and gnashed his teeth. “Are you sure?” He nodded and Moonbin leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he stared off into space, seeing things Myungjun couldn’t. Finally he let out a loud sigh rubbing his hand over his face. Myungjun could understand his frustrations, the gods should have known that when they passed down the assignment. “What proof do you have?” The question was laced with seriousness, and Myungjun swallowed drily.

Closing his eyes Myungjun thought about how different a demon felt compared to an evil spirit, how different Park Jinwoo had felt. And how he'd felt the demon act through its host. Would act again, though this time he would be much more prepared for what was coming. “It tried to take me.” Moonbin was nodding, the color draining from his face. And Myungjun didn’t need to look at Rocky to feel his anger, the gnashing of teeth starting up again. It was an insult for a demon to try to claim the vessel, partner, or host of a god. Myungjun wasn’t any of those, but he had been and that meant this demon had insulted Rocky’s power. 

Granted Myungjun doubted the demon realized it had violated a god’s chosen human. The spells he used with Rocky's power were often cast alongside the god, meaning they felt more human than divine most of the time. Which was to Myungjun’s advantage when fighting evil spirits who didn’t realize he had a god backing him. The demon would find the same problem, though he knew a minor god was much less a threat to demons than to evil spirits. Though he did have to wonder if the bonding ritual would have made Rocky known, without his presence. 

“There’s something else.” He added on as an afterthought before a silence could descend. Remembering all that had transpired when the demon had attempted to take him he spoke. “The human, Park Jinwoo, is fighting this demon. I don’t know how long it’s been in there, as it can’t be Vashnu but he’s fighting it.” He looked into Moonbin’s eyes, which were now thoughtful while his hand had come up to stroke his chin. A look of deep thought most of the agents were used to seeing over taking his face. Though usually, it was food related and very rarely had to do with a case. But it meant the wheels were turning, which was all Myungjun could ask for. 

For a few more minutes Myungjun watched as Moonbin pursed and un-pursed his lips in thought, stroking his chin and staring off into the distance. Until finally the taller moved, pulling a folder out of the air as if he had summoned it. Myungjun knew for a fact he had, a simple snap of the fingers and the desired file would come flying for him as well. If, and only if, his name were signed in the documents. Moonbin on the other hand had only to think of what file he wanted in this space and it would appear where he wished it. 

He waited yet another minute as he watched his boss carefully scan the file, the same file Myungjun had signed not long ago. His own copy was back in his apartment, thoroughly browsed and practically memorized. Well at least the important parts were memorized, enough. “It doesn’t specifically state here that the spirit was Vashnu, but Vashnu like.” Moonbin raised an eyebrow as he spoke, the darkness of it contrasting his newly white hair. “Looking at it there’s not a lot of information to go on.” 

Myungjun bit back the retort that he’d already said that, and that Moonbin had said he’d look into it. Which obviously hadn’t happened yet. Instead he shifted in his seat uncomfortably waiting for what his options were, well if there truly were any. Finally after another long pause his boss spoke again but it wasn’t with any options he’d been hoping for. “I can try to reason with the gods to have them intervene.” They both knew that wasn’t going to happen. “Or I can pull you from the case and call in a demon expert.” 

Moonbin sighed loudly closing the file and with a pout threw it on the desk in a way that was unbefitting his position. Myungjun knew that meant his hands were tied, they were always tied when it came to the god’s wishes. Most assignments and allocations came directly from them for whatever purpose it served for them. “I can’t offer any better.” The frown, pouty and sincere made Myungjun feel a bit better. Knowing his boss didn’t like seeing him in this position. “I already tried to pry for more information as I said I would, they denied me.” 

“I’m not surprised. It is Agatha.” He tried not to sigh, the goddess was more trouble than he felt she was worth sometimes. After all who prayed to a goddess of order and secrets? On second thought he truly didn’t want to know what kind of person prayed to such a god. Still it was nice to know that Moonbin had actually tried regardless. “But you know I can’t pull out, I’ve been marked.” He pretended to ignore the way Rocky’s teeth gnashing hardened and the narrowing of Moonbin’s eyes. 

He decided not to include how the mark had been passed. Somehow he felt if he told his boss and his god, that Park Jinwoo had kissed him to mark him, they wouldn’t see reason anymore. After all, it wasn’t required, the mark could have been left the moment the demon touched his hair. He suspected the kiss was from the host, idly he wondered if maybe the reason he suspected that was he was hoping it was true. If Park Jinwoo had that kind of control over his own body mid possession it spoke volumes for his power. 

Though if he were honest with himself, despite everything it had been a good kiss. And he really wasn’t sure that he’d deny another one, demon notwithstanding. It had been a long time since he’d been kissed at all, let alone so well. But he tried not to think about it or the deep mesmerizing eyes that had stared him down. It wasn’t like Park Jinwoo was even his type, well that he knew of. There was no telling what was the demon and what was the host yet. Other than the act of marking itself everything else was up for debate. 

“Marked?” It was Rocky’s voice this time cutting through his thoughts. Low, threatening, and there were obvious signs of power emanating from him as he scanned him over for the mark. Myungjun quickly waved away his concern, and placed a hand on the god’s arm to calm him. Rocky was in no condition to be expending more power than he had in the moment. It worked, or it worked enough for his next words to be empty of power but not anger. “This demon dared to mark my human?” There was vengeance in his eyes, and for better or worse Myungjun knew the god would have it.

“You didn’t say he marked you.” Moonbin was crossing his arms, a new pout over taking his features. A hurt one. Instantly Myungjun was grateful he’d kept his mouth shut about the kiss. It was a violation, but it was a bearable one at least. He didn’t need these two getting worked up over his nonexistent honor or virtue the way they were getting worked up over common demon procedure. He had at least enjoyed the kiss, if not the reason for it. But he wasn’t going to tell them that. 

With a sigh Myungjun looked both of them in the eye before speaking again, letting them know how serious things were. “I told you he tried to take me. For a demon to lay claim to someone they must mark them. Once marked, even if it’s incomplete such as my mark, the demon can find their target anywhere.” This was of course basic demon knowledge, though he supposed he hadn’t passed the knowledge on when he learned it from Eunwoo. Who, had learned it by reading far and away too many books about work for no good reason. He was convinced it was to show off to Sanha. And Moonbin only knew bits and pieces about everything.

“So the demon can’t take you.” Rocky’s voice was a little less deep and a lot more steady, an almost smile gracing his lips. Myungjun didn’t have the heart to tell him he really didn’t know. As most gods did the same as demons, marking their humans, but not all. It was something Myungjun didn’t want and instead he’d willingly agreed to the bonding rituals, which essentially did the same thing. Though both had their advantages he wasn’t sure which was stronger. He could ask Eunwoo to look into it privately, but later. 

“As it stands I can’t go anywhere so I’ll just have to do what I can do. This isn’t my first demon.” He had said the words slowly so maybe they’d sink in, for them and himself. He didn’t hold the confidence his words did. The last demon he’d dealt with was a small fry, hadn’t tried to mark him, and most certainly hadn’t possessed a human host for an indefinite amount of time. He’d been sent after it not even days after it was discovered to have crossed over. Granted that assignment had been years ago as well. 

“I know it’s not your first.” Moonbin’s voice was worried again and his eyes wide, tearful. And Myungjun wasn’t sure what to make of them. If you asked him, his boss had been steadily acting weirder to him. With odd soft looks, or the occasional unneeded touches. But he wasn’t sure what it was about, they’d been working together for years now so he suspected it was genuine concern. Which was fine with him. “I can’t help but be worried though. There is a reason there are squads devoted to taking down demons.” 

Myungjun nodded. There was indeed good reason for those squads. But unless the gods were willing, and they often weren’t, those squads wouldn’t help him. “I can handle this.” He put all the conviction he could into his words as he stood motioning to Rocky they should leave. He’d long overstayed what tine it would take at the nurse’s office. Though he doubted any of the students or teachers at the school would say anything or question it, but the demon would if he stayed much longer. His boss still looked worried. “Do you think you can treat this real quick? Don’t heal it though.” 

The request earned him a smile and Moonbin bade him sit on the edge of a chair so he could look down at him. Supplies were summoned and Myungjun could tell it made his boss happy to help him as he took extra care doing so. Still he had to put the final nail in his own coffin. “I can’t come to the office for awhile, until I’m sure the demon can’t trace the mark.” He felt when Moonbin’s hands stilled in their work, felt the small sigh against his hair, and he could see the frown out of the corner of his eye. 

“It’s for your safety so I understand.” The tone didn’t sound very understanding but the work continued as Moonbin wiped up the blood matting his hair. “Just call me with updates, or I’ll call you.” It was said like a playful threat, but Myungjun knew his boss was good for it. He sighed himself as he felt the bandage being placed, angled just so that the wound wouldn’t get dirty. It was the human way of doing things that neither of them were quite accustomed to anymore.

“I will.” He gave Rocky a sidelong glance only to see the god had his arms crossed and looked as serious as Moonbin sounded. Myungjun knew he didn’t see the point in not healing the wound, they both knew Moonbin could, would, if asked. He’d done it before for worse injuries caused by the assignments he gave out. He realized he’d get no sympathy from either if he didn’t follow the boss’ directions. 

“Be safe.” Myungjun felt the words against his temple, followed by soft lips against the bandage and around it. The feeling left color on his cheeks as he stood up suddenly, almost knocking his boss over, who had a hand over his lips. He decided against saying anything watching the murder form in Rocky’s eyes again. After all according to the god, Myungjun belonged to him. Body and soul. At least in contract, which had already been violated once today and Myungjun knew he wasn’t up for another violation. 

“I’ll be safe.” He promised hurriedly shooing the goat god to the door before he could actually try to put his horns to use. He’d seen it before, the goat had grown them out and tried to impale one of Myungjun’s exes. It hadn't been pretty, and explaining human courting to the god had been, in some ways, even more painful. Though he doubted the god would recall all that in his anger and he wasn’t willing to think about what Moonbin’s actions meant. At least with Park Jinwoo he knew what the demon wanted.

When they returned undoing the spells didn’t take quite as long as convincing Rocky he didn’t need him at the school. Not that he hadn’t eventually had to dismiss him the old fashioned way, by banishing him to his shrine to recover. The spell had worn him out completely by the time he finished it and he knew the repercussions when he got home would be worse. But at least he could finish his last class in peace, walk home, then figure out what he was going to do with the mess he’d landed in. All because Moonbin thought he’d look good in a school girl uniform.

With that last thought he short circuited and somehow made it all the way back to class, took notes, and forgot everything that happened. Until he came home to see that Rocky had tossed the top stones of his shrine off in a fit of anger. He decided to deal with it later, ordered take-out and drew a bath. There were a lot of things to think about. One of which was how there might be a clock ticking on the wall with a countdown of when the demon decided to confront him next. Or if maybe, if he were really lucky, he’d be facing just Park Jinwoo, and his lips, tomorrow. Gods he hoped so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts appreciated. I honestly am in love with this AU, it's so freaking fun.
> 
> There's probably lots of typos and missed words...I'll come back later to fix it. Holler at me if it's really bad.


	7. Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how we got so much emotional drama I don't. But here we go anyway. Btw I'm officially aiming for 12 chapters. I already know where we're going. I just have to get us there.

Waking up with a groan Myungjun silenced his alarm and wished for enough power to enable him to sleep for another hour. It wasn’t possible, he knew even in his groggy just awoken state, but he could wish it. He’d stayed up late into the night calming Rocky down and letting him inspect him, after fixing his shrine. Reasoning with him had been difficult but he’d finally gotten the god to see reason again. Then there were the apology texts from Moonbin, which were a little weird because his boss almost never used his phone over magic. 

Still he’d left them on read. He wasn’t sure how to respond honestly. He knew what had happened wasn't really a big deal. Rocky had advised him to just let Moonbin apologize and blow it off. As the god had already apologized via messenger for his own behavior. As once his anger settled Rocky felt bad for treating Moonbin as a threat. But Myungjun knew for him it wasn't that simple. This wasn't likely to be a one time thing and eventually, if Moonbin kept it up, he'd have to reject him. 

It didn’t make it any easier to do. He had taken the time to think about Moonbin’s feelings and looking back on his changing actions he wasn’t sure how he’d missed them. Well other than being completely oblivious to his attraction. Though he supposed that might have been because he didn’t see Moonbin like that anymore than he saw Rocky. The idea of being with either of them romantically sent a shiver down his spine. They just weren’t his type, they were both too much like brothers to him, and in Rocky’s case he was too possessive. 

Myungjun was thankful at least that Rocky’s possessiveness wasn’t of that nature. Couldn’t be of that nature as far as he was aware. Or if it was the god hadn’t realized it yet. He tried not to think about it as he had enough on his plate without dealing with feelings, be it his own towards the demon’s host or Moonbin’s. Capturing a demon was serious business. Romance would only complicate things. Which was why in the end he finally texted Moonbin back as he left the house, telling him not to worry about it. Assuring him that he knew Moonbin was just concerned after all. 

Somehow it didn’t quite feel like the rejection he owed him, but there wasn’t much else he could do in the moment. He’d have to ask a real human, not a god, for advice on the matter later. When he wasn’t trying to keep an eye out for any unwanted attention on his walk to school. There was still a lot of information he didn’t know about Park Jinwoo and he was going to need to find out. Even if it included stealing the student’s private information from the school. A task he’d set about after school, if given the chance. It might also mean finding people to ask about him outside of the school itself. Neither were tasks he looked forward to. 

Shaking away the thoughts of what ifs and maybes Myungjun sighed to himself as the school came into sight. There wasn’t any miasma to see today or anything out of the ordinary that he could see in the distance. But still a cold chill ran up his spine the moment he saw the gates. Something was off, he just couldn’t quite put his finger on it as he glanced around to the other students around him. They were acting like normal but the air was heavier, more oppressive. A feat considering he’d never felt more oppressive air than at any kind of school.

Yet, even knowing it was different he couldn’t pinpoint anything as he walked through the gate his eyes scanning for the gang of delinquents. Despite his thoughts of yesterday, delusional as they were in the first kiss in ages bliss, he didn’t really want to run into Park Jinwoo or Yoo Hyun anytime soon. If he was lucky without them there he might be able to get some information out of a different student. He was at least in luck that the delinquents weren’t in their usual spot. But it was as he looked into other student's faces he realized part of the problem. 

No one would even so much as look at him. And the moment he stepped closer they backed away. Instantly he recalled what had been said to the class the other day and their behavior towards him immediately after his return. Not even Song Swan or Yoo Hyun had so much as acknowledged him. He had to admit that it would make things lonely, but it was probably for the better as he wouldn’t be sticking around after he exorcised the demon anyway. At least that’s what he told himself as he made his way to the classroom ignoring the way students moved out of his way.

It wasn’t until he was settled into his seat, Yoo Hyun or Song Swan nowhere to be seen that he realized what else he was feeling in the air. It was the demon’s presence, it felt like tendrils wrapping around him as he sat quietly and prepared for a day of note taking. Or he pretended to as he did his best to feel what he could of the demon and its exact whereabouts. Though he knew that he might be wrong. That demon's presence likely wasn't wrapping around him and this could be the after affects of the mark, even if it wasn’t complete. It was still knowledge he didn’t have before. A feeling that might help him locate it.

Though just as he realized he could track the demon via the link it was gone, scattered into pieces. What had felt like a whole had turned into smaller feelings rippling out through the air as if the tendrils source had just split into eight or maybe nine. He wasn’t sure what to make of it but he felt an energy he did recognize among the demon’s. Vashnu and he found himself scratching his head over the sudden changes and familiar energy all the way until lunch. Which still up to that point no one had said a word to him outside of the teacher, or even held eye contact. 

As the lunch bell sounded Myungjun had to admit, at least to himself, that he wasn’t exactly not thrilled about seeing Park Jinwoo at this point. Since he felt it might offer clues to the odd feelings he’d had all morning. Then there was also the not so professional reason he’d been trying not to think about since yesterday. As he knew he was being crazy, Park Jinwoo was possessed for one and for two the guy had slammed his head into the desk, before and after kissing him. Not exactly date worthy material. But he still found himself thinking about deep brown eyes he could drown in.

But, lunch came and went with much the same treatment he’d gotten through the rest of the day. None. Not a single soul looked at him, spoke to him, or even acknowledged him. And he suddenly understood the feelings of all the characters he’d found hard to relate to in dramas who were bullied. Though he knew this was nothing compared to the dramatized ostracization that occurred in those shows, or the straight up bullying either. At least he’d thought it was nothing until they moved to change classrooms and someone tripped him. 

His first thought was that he hoped his skirt didn’t reveal anything, the magic could only do so much if someone were to see a penis. The next thought was he recognized the shoe that was crushing his head into the floor, though not quite as intensely as it had done so to the desk. The low voice was Park Jinwoo’s and the laughter, forced and high was Yoo Hyun’s. Myungjun felt for him just a little bit as he looked up to see the other’s face not really into what was going on. Park Jinwoo’s on the other hand was a thundercloud of anger, sadistic anger. He found himself swallowing dryly.

“I found you, finally.” Myungjun didn’t speak as he glared up at the demon possessing this man, he knew that’s who he was talking to. He could tell from the darker look in brown eyes, the feeling of the air crackling about him. Something he knew he should have noticed sooner but had been unable to as he was looking for what he wanted to find, not what was there. “Where were you hiding earlier my pet?” A pink tongue darted out over chapped lips as the demon stared into his eyes. 

Before he knew what was better for him Myungjun found his voice, a quip leaving with it before he could stop it. “I wasn’t hiding are you sure you looked for me?” The foot on his head dug in just slightly before the demon laughed, it was a very human laugh but it still sent chills down his spine. Once the laugh was over though the demon leaned down, his face now at knee level and the pressure was painful against Myungjun’s skull. There was a struggle in brown eyes that he could see this close, it gave him hope. 

“Fine. I don’t want to go to you anymore. You are to come to me. At lunch everyday.” Each new sentence was ground into his cheek by the standardized school shoe. With that said the shoe was removed and the two bullies walked away. But Myungjun had seen what he needed to. He’d seen the demon’s mark, a tattoo looking spider that screamed pure evil from its own small aura. What confused him was that Yoo Hyun had one too. Both had been revealed on bare forearms that had so far been hidden by long sleeves. Today they’d been rolled to the elbow. 

Despite what had happened Myungjun got the feeling that Park Jinwoo and Yoo Hyun had shown him on purpose. He hoped it meant they were fighting the evil that was trying to take them. But he knew it could be that they wanted him to know what he would receive. Righting himself, careful not to show anything, he phased through the crowd of onlookers. Not one of them had moved to stop what was happening. And while it hadn’t been his style in high school he decided skipping one music class wouldn’t hurt him as he rushed to the bathroom pretending to cry. 

He knew there was only more class today as he cast the spells he would need on himself, drawing on the powers that being bonded to Rocky granted him. As well as using a few of his own talents that he often neglected, invisibility was little more than a parlor trick without Rocky’s power to hide himself from demons, spirits, and ghosts. But it was useful now as he made his way to the office to find out what he could about Park Jinwoo. He’d need to know if he was expected to eat lunch with him everyday. He needed to know if he was right about the man repressed by the demon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna assume I'm talking to myself at this point.


	8. Information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I'm not gonna lie I'm not posting this on Amino anymore and the ship might change. Unless someone tries to stop me this is likely going to end up with Rocky/Mj. Probably that said tags changed. 
> 
> There will still be violence but the other parts...probably not? I mean it's still dubious on Jinjin's part. He's possessed but I don't feel that's worth tagging for.

The little bit of information he’d found on Park Jinwoo in the school’s files was helpful but only to a point. The files painted quite a different picture of the child that had been Park Jinwoo when he was younger, great grades, social, and nice. Then it had changed somewhere last year near midterms his grades had fallen and he was in constant trouble for dress code violations. And while his parents had been called their money bought him out of trouble. While they insisted nothing at home had changed. But Myungjun was willing to bet that was when Jinwoo had met the demon. 

It was a common story really, for high schoolers to meet and make deals with demons for better grades. That had been the case on his first one. Though in that case they were often caught, and much sooner. He’d never heard of a host surviving such a long possession of a god or demon. At least not any recent cases, Moonbin had in passing once mentioned that descendants of gods or fallen gods held up much better. At the time he’d wondered if it was hint to his boss’ lineage. Now he wondered if maybe Park Jinwoo was one such descendant as well.

Still he was left with the question of how Park Jinwoo ran into a demon, if it weren’t in the usual way and how Yoo Hyun had gotten caught up in it as well. If wasn’t that they’d summoned the demon themselves there were heavier implications on what might be going on. He found himself lingering on the picture in the file, it didn’t feel like the picture of someone who would be desperate enough to deal with demons. The tattoo-like spider mark flashed before his mind’s eye. He knew without research that was important.

Yet he knew as well that information was power, and since he’d been able to get access to Park Jinwoo’s file, without much hassle, he took the chance on Yoo Hyun’s. Hiding in the corner to read it as he heard the filing room’s door opening and he thanked his lucky stars they still used a paper system. After all he wasn’t quite as great with hacking as he was lock picking. Thankfully the person who entered didn’t stay long grabbing one of the few files that had been left out and leaving. Taking just long enough for him to see what he needed to see. Yoo Hyun had always been a delinquent, but nothing major.

Which explained why he hadn’t been so keen on the bullying aspect. He skipped class and rough housed outside of the school but nothing extreme. Myungjun couldn’t help wondering when it had changed for him as well, as it seemed he hadn’t been possessed nearly as long as Park Jinwoo. If he could judge it based on his own experiences and knowledge with evil corruption he’d say no more than a few months. Around the time he’d lost Vashnu. And he couldn’t help but feel this and that were connected, more than he thought they were at least. 

He found himself wishing he could talk to someone about it, he knew there was Moonbin he could go to. But he also knew that would be awkward. He wasn’t quite ready to face him yet. To see how much his rejection, no matter how poorly done, had hurt him. He didn’t want to hurt his boss, he liked him. Just not like that. There was of course Rocky too, though Myungjun wasn’t sure how much information the goat god would have about demons. More than himself he was sure. But he knew of someone better, more knowledgeable about everything. Eunwoo. He’d been wanting to talk to him anyway.

Putting the files back he made his way out and home. Not removing his spellwork until he was far from the school. He knew no one would note his absence, well no one important. He was only keeping up his grades in order to not draw attention before. Now that he knew what he was dealing with being in school wasn’t that important. He just needed a way to draw Park Jinwoo and Yoo Hyun out of the school to deal with them. Preferably on his own terms and not theirs. Though he had a sneaking suspicion it wasn’t going to play out how he wanted. 

In the end getting in touch with Eunwoo was harder than getting in touch with Moonbin, it wasn’t just a simple spell and walking through a door. No for agents, who refused to answer their phone like Eunwoo, the only option was to summon them. Which had him making a stop by the grocery store on the way home. Not just for what he’d need for the summoning but for a bit of dinner as well. Eunwoo and Sanha were both a little more open if there were food involved and if he were honest it would be nice to catch up with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short, Eunwoo is up next and I know that's going to drag on because I'm whipped.


	9. Eunwoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I'm slipping away plot wise but honestly we're on track. There isn't that much more left. Probably...there's officially 4-5 plot points left.

Myungjun sighed looking at the circle of candles on his table and the other well placed items inside. It took a lot out of him to do this, and it didn’t help that Rocky was pouting now for some reason or another. Well it was false to say he didn’t know why. He’d found out about the bullying via a wandering spirit who had seen what happened at the school. And while Myungjun appreciated the spirit’s fondness for him and concern he would have kept the bullying hidden a bit longer if he could. Because telling Rocky no was hard, but he had to.

It wouldn’t help him any if Rocky decided to get rid of the demon host and all. So he’d had to use more than a stern lecture on taking human life to prevent him from doing just that. Thus the goat god was pouting, it was all he could do until Myungjun allowed otherwise. Which meant this summoning was all on him. He just hoped he didn’t botch it because without the backup of Rocky’s power he knew a second attempt wasn’t in the cards. And just like every assignment ever, time was of the essence. Unless one was Eunwoo. 

Decidedly shoving aside the vestiges of a jealousy he didn’t like to acknowledge Myungjun put himself to task. The candles lit on their own at the right time and he felt proud of himself as the water in the middle of the circle began to bubble ominously just like it was supposed to. There was an eerie wind sounding behind him but he paid it no mind, one misspoken word wouldn’t ruin this spell. He might have worried if he were doing a different one but he knew it wasn’t concerning, hopefully, as he saw a portal opening.

“You could have just called me.” Eunwoo’s words echoed around the room, half giggle half exasperation. Myungjun paid them no mind as he completed the spell, two bubbles floating out of the bowl one after another each containing a humanoid. One of whom was trying to look stern and upset while failing, the other was giggling behind their hand in mirth. This transportation spell tickled, an experience Myungjun had felt first hand on more than one occasion. 

“You would have answered?” Myungjun quirked an eyebrow as the other agent landed on the floor with a pop and a gust of air. The water god beside him landed just as easily, but he looked disappointed that the bubble had burst. The only remains to show how they arrived was the still softly spinning water in the bowl on the table. The candles had gone out and the other items that he’d offered were long gone, taken wherever the sea god liked to keep them. 

Eunwoo shrugged with a half smile and a let down of what was left of his fake anger. “I might have. But I know you wouldn’t summon me unless you needed me.” He winked and Myungjun rolled his eyes and started clearing the table once the whirlpool in the water died away. “So what do you need me for?” His voice had fallen just a tad and when Myungjun looked over his shoulder he saw he’d spotted the pouting Rocky. Sanha was trying to talk to him but the goat god was having nothing to do with it. 

“Demons.” He sighed maybe he should have phrased that better from the look on Eunwoo’s face and Sanha’s sudden quietness. “I need to know about demons. I’ll tell you everything over dinner.” He smiled motioning to the kitchen where he’d just finished putting everything together before summoning the other agent. He was thankful he had as even walking to the kitchen to fetch the food felt tiresome, his power drained until he rested. 

He noticed Eunwoo only nodded following him to the kitchen and wordlessly helped him set the food out. The most he did was glance at Rocky, who was pacing just in front of his shrine looking like he hadn’t cooled down any. Myungjun was thankful he at least didn’t bring anything up as the goat god joined them for dinner. Arms crossed, and his face stormy as his horns grew along with his hair. Myungjun knew he hadn’t heard the last of Rocky’s complaints from that alone, but his guests said nothing of it.

“So demons?” Eunwoo’s voice carried over the small table forcing the backs around it to stiffen. Myungjun wanted to sigh. That wasn’t where he wanted to start the conversation but he knew that’s where they needed to. “Does this have to do with your current case?” He nodded slowly at the question and thought about where he wanted to start with the information. “Didn’t Moonbin request more information on it?” The other agent’s handsome face looked puzzled but Myungjun just nodded again with a sigh.

“I thought demon cases weren’t sent to us?” It was Sanha’s too loud whisper to his partner that had Rocky snapping back to reality. The glare Myungjun saw him send the other god was telling. “Sorry. It’s just…” Sanha’s voice trailed off and he stared at the leftover food on his plate while Eunwoo shot the other god a look.

Myungjun sighed. “You’re right Sanha, Rocky is just a little upset right now and so am I. Demons aren’t something we can’t handle.” He patted Rocky’s hand on the table only to get a glare of his own in return. Ignoring it he went on with why he believed he’d ended up with the case regardless. “It’s not that the gods assigned us a demon, I think this case is quite different than how it first appeared.” He tried to get his thoughts in order as Eunwoo gave him a curious look. “Do you remember Vashnu?”

The other agent nodded and Rocky frowned. “Well I think, maybe Vashnu is related. I felt the presence of Vashnu at the school today.” He nodded to himself before taking a deep breath. “I was marked by this demon,” There was a collective gasp from the other side of the table he ignored as he went on. “But I think this mark is different from other demons. I think I saw the mark on Park Jinwoo and Yoo Hyun, another student. I need to know about demons and their marks. More than you told me before.”

Eunwoo had put down his chopsticks and was now scratching his chin as Myungjun waited. He knew that the other agent was good with information, well better than good with his photographic memory. A gift, one he’d been given by the gods after he started working for them. Myungjun’s own gift had been resilience and it was one he was constantly using. Either to fight fatigue like he was now or withstanding Rocky’s explosive powers when he was given the chance to use them. His wasn’t quite as useful outside of battling evil spirits. 

A hmm followed a short silence before Eunwoo was looking at him again. A different sort of light in his eyes. “What kind of mark was it?” Myungjun answered all the questions he asked for the next twenty minutes. This was how it worked after all, Eunwoo either told you flat out or he asked as many questions as he needed to before revealing information. It was safer that way and Myungjun knew it. As Eunwoo and Sanha both saw more magical books, spells, and places than he’d ever want to. And all magic came with a price.

“A spider…” Rocky’s voice caught on the end of the questions the look on his face stormy as Eunwoo asked yet another question. Myungjun tried not to pay attention to the goat god’s mutterings as he exchanged looks with Sanha. As if they knew something that maybe Eunwoo didn’t. Neither spoke instead a silence descended after the last question. 

“Let me see where it marked you.” Eunwoo finally said after what felt like an eternity of waiting. Myungjun flushed. He hadn’t told Moonbin or Rocky that Park Jinwoo had kissed him to mark him, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell Eunwoo. One glance at Rocky told him the god was extremely interested to know where as well. Which meant he couldn’t just ask him to leave the room, or he’d be even angrier than he was about the bullying. 

Myungjun tried to ignore his red cheeks as he looked down at his own empty plate. He suddenly wished he hadn’t done this around the dinner table. Instead of using his words he pointed to his lips. There was a collective sound of indignation around the table and Rocky was gripping the chopsticks so hard they snapped. “It wasn’t such a big deal where,” He wasn’t sure why he was justifying it. But he blamed the fact it was the first kiss he’d had in awhile and one of the best. “I still felt the link earlier today which is why I felt Vashnu. Can several demons be connected?”

When he hazarded a look up Eunwoo was thinking again, idly stroking his chin while Sanha was holding his hand. He’d always wondered about the two of them, though he was too polite to ask. It wasn’t that uncommon for a god to fall for a mortal, that was how many of these pairs of gods and humans came to be. They weren’t destined to last, a painful memory for the god or a good one to look back on was how they all ended up. Myungjun privately felt that Eunwoo and Sanha might beat the odds and find a way for Eunwoo to live on forever. 

Sucking in a readying breath he looked to Rocky and he felt like he’d been punched in the gut. The look there wasn’t angry, it wasn’t quite hurt either. It was resigned and made something in his chest twist. They weren’t like Eunwoo and Sanha, they weren’t like the gods and humans who had relations. Rocky was his protector, his brother, his best friend. And as far as he knew that was all the god wanted. Rocky always refused to tell him why he’d been chosen. 

The moment was broken by Eunwoo’s voice, steady and firm. “That might have been the host’s choice.” He cleared his throat and looked at Myungjun with a meaningful look, one he knew meant please don’t fall for a possessed man. He hoped it wasn’t too late as the other agent began answering his questions. “As to this case it seems a spider demon is most likely, there have been cases, long, long ago of them possessing more than one human.” He sighed and Myungjun knew it was bad. “The only way to get rid of one then is to cut off the head. Evict the demon from the host that holds it’s main body.”

“Is there a way to tell who hosts the body?” Myungjun thought back to the feeling he’d had of several demons splitting off, maybe it was that they gathered sometimes. He certainly hoped so but even then he couldn’t start a purification ceremony at the school without some high class shields. Even then he wasn’t strong enough for that. And he couldn’t say that he could lure out the right host without a sign. Which it didn’t appear there would be one as Eunwoo shook his head after another moment of thought.

“With more information you might be able to tell but with just a few visible marks and hosts that act out probably not.” Eunwoo rubbed his chin again and Myungjun wondered what he was going to do. “Though if the hosts are acting out, and you said Yoo Hyun hasn’t been possessed as long, I’d say this Park Jinwoo is your lead. It usually goes that the main host is the one possessed longest, but not always. They are known to control the others. And from what you’ve told me he’s running the show.”

Myungjun nodded thinking about the group of delinquents by the school gate every morning. It might be the simplest solution just to do as Park Jinwoo wanted and learn what he could. He wasn’t going to tell Rocky that though, as ever since he’d confessed to being kissed the god had been sulkier, but in a much different way. He’d probably have to talk to him about everything, even if it made his heart squeeze painfully to think about. He pushed the thoughts aside switching gears to talk with Sanha and Eunwoo about how they were. What they’d been doing besides side trips for whatever Sanha wanted. 

By the time they left he felt better. Despite the fact Eunwoo had brought up Moonbin, his actions, and his regrets. Because to quote Eunwoo ‘Moonbin knew it wouldn’t happen, that he wouldn’t get what he wanted’. It made Myungjun feel bad but the other team assured him Moonbin was fine, would be fine, and there wasn’t anything Myungjun could do. Other than allowing Moonbin space and giving it to himself as well. 

Eunwoo reminded him one more time as he left that it wasn’t anyone’s fault. That’s just how feelings happened. He tried desperately to keep that thought away from how he was starting to feel about Park Jinwoo. About how maybe he had always thought Rocky might feel towards him. Feelings were complicated and things were complicated enough with a demon on the loose.


	10. Marked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am starting a new, improved for my sanity update schedule. I'll be updating every two weeks, or I'll be updating two fics every week. I just need time to unwind after fics.

Talking to Rocky proved pointless for as soon as Eunwoo and Sanha had left he’d retreated into his shrine. No temper involved just a ‘goodnight Myungjun’ and a retreating back. Myungjun was willing to admit that made it harder to sleep than the thought there might be more demon spawn running amok. Granted if there were he could call in help, theoretically. If he got up the courage to talk to Moonbin about it. And it was then he realized his life had gone to shit because of a high school uniform. At least he managed to get to sleep even if it was restless.

A restlessness that didn’t really fade with waking as he looked into the mirror studying his own reflection. There weren’t any bags under his eyes but he still didn’t like the sight that greeted him. He looked like a high school girl, from the long auburn hair down to the standardized school shoes. Sticking his tongue out at the mirror he turned on his heels, eyes lingering on Rocky’s shrine. The goat god hadn’t come out this morning even after breakfast had been announced. Though Myungjun knew the god didn’t actually need to eat, his offering already in place. 

With a sigh Myungjun flipped the long hair over his shoulder and left. His goodbye echoed hollowly back at him from his apartment. It wasn’t until he was all the way out of the building he allowed himself to think on it, otherwise he’d skip school to coax the god out. An action he couldn’t afford if he was going to try to get closer to Park Jinwoo at lunch, and he was going to try. Rubbing the stone from the shrine he pushed the thoughts away, his hair whipping around him in the wind. He tried not to think about how Rocky had been braiding it. 

His thoughts only successfully drifted away from the goat god when he reached the school gate. There were a lot more eyes on him today than there normally were, the feeling of a demon stronger than it had been before. He felt his lips tingle looking at the group of delinquents, they were two shy. Park Jinwoo and Yoo Hyun weren’t with them. But he could have sworn he felt their eyes on him as he approached the building. Moments like these he wished Rocky were better at keeping a human form. Then he could have drug him to school with him, even for a day.

Fantasizing about it wasn’t going to solve his problems though. The newest he’d found himself pondering on was why everyone was staring at him, it wasn’t like he hadn’t been coming to school for a week now and nothing had changed. Well except his hair was free, which was admittedly a bit annoying because he knew he’d have to brush it out later after all this wind. Ignoring the looks he tried to focus on the demonic energy, he could feel it just like yesterday. Vashnu in the mix, or maybe that was how they all felt.

It was odd, he could feel it like it was calling to him, his lips tingling where Jinwoo had kissed him, a bit off center as their lips didn’t line up. He followed the feeling to the classroom he’d heard Park Jinwoo was in. It wasn’t empty but only four or five students were in it. None of them felt demonic, but he could still feel the presence. Like a chill down his spine or bumps down his arms because the hairs stood on end. He found the stone from Rocky’s shrine in his fingers, like a worry stone.

The feeling faded and as it did yesterday it divided snapping him back to reality. Someone was calling for him. “Myungsoon!” It was Song Swan, her smile hesitant and her fingers clutching onto Yoo Hyun’s arm. He saw it, the mark it was fading, or faded he wasn’t sure. Her sleeves were rolled up though and the mark was there on her forearm, he looked down at his own where she was pointing. Nothing, she was shaking her head as if she’d expected there to be. He wondered how many students were infected. If it were enough he wouldn't have to hold back.

“Yes?” He answered instead of asking her what was wrong. He knew, she was wondering why he wasn’t marked after Park Jinwoo had tried. He could tell her mark was new too. Yoo Hyun most likely, she’d been chasing him after all. It would make her mind easy prey. The answer he was expecting was cut off, his hair yanked pulling him backward into a seering, should have been impossible, kiss. Cold brown eyes staring at him, and for the first time Myungjun wondered if the demon recognized him. If he was a target, not that it made sense. 

“See you at lunch.” Was all Park Jinwoo said licking his lips as Myungjun just barely kept himself from falling, well on his head anyway. He wasn’t quite sure that he wasn’t falling in a different way watching the shorter male walk away. The class was looking at him now and he wondered where the others had come from, but he knew. Demons like himself had spells for pockets for time, dimensions, and everything else. He saw the three of them walking off together, haughty as if they were assured nothing could touch them. 

Myungjun wanted to prove them wrong, but he noticed there were eyes on him as he threw out a fist. The spell he’d thought to use died on his lips. If he could prove the one he used the spell on was possessed it was fine, but he still couldn’t using it in public without just cause. Being forcefully kissed, and hating that you liked it, was not good enough justification no matter what his feelings might tell him. Instead of dwelling on it he thought about why Song Swan was selected. She was the least likely to have a use for a demon, other than fodder. Her desire was simple, but maybe that was why.

He didn’t think about it through all of his classes. Instead he had to focus on keeping his thoughts centered around the demon and how it was probably tempting him with what it thought he wanted. It thought he wanted Park Jinwoo, that he wanted a boyfriend, a lover, someone to take charge of him. He had to at least admit in some ways it was right. He was lonely, not alone but lonely and a boyfriend or lover would be nice. And Park Jinwoo wasn’t bad to look at. He found himself biting his cheek at that thought because it was an understatement. 

Park Jinwoo was two years younger than him and a bit shorter but he was everything Myungjun liked in a man. Well mostly. The shoulder’s weren’t quite wide enough nor was he tall enough for an ideal. But he got the feeling that those kind of things didn’t really matter to the demon when it wanted him for something. Because there was no way that Park Jinwoo himself was that bold, not from the few rumors he’d been able to chase up. Granted they were old rumors, from spirits no less, and not likely reliable. But he’d worked hard to get them and get a bigger picture. And by worked hard he meant stopping a spirit or two on his way to school today. 

It didn’t matter, results were results and they would in the long run help him make it through the lunch hour that was coming up. He wasn’t expecting a repeat of events like there had been that morning or the previous day. Myungjun was of course willing to admit to himself that he and his libido wouldn’t mind, as it had already tried running away with twice in class. But that wasn’t going to get him information on who the demon resided in. There were spells for it, Sanha had told him he’d look into them but would need time. Myungjun wasn’t sure he had time. He could feel it weighing on him.

When the lunch bell sounded Myungjun realized he wasn’t any closer to freeing Park Jinwoo now than he had been when he’d first received the file for this assignment. Of course he’d made progress of sorts, and he knew cases like this took time but he felt helpless. A feeling that intensified as he took each new step towards the other classroom, his classmates still staring at him. He wondered now if it was because he was marked, not by the demon but by the school bully. Park Jinwoo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what I'm doing anymore. *sigh*


	11. Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to get here for like 3-4 chapters...and Jinwoo decided that no it was bullying kisses time. I gave in like the weakling I am. But this should wrap up here soon. I would say we'll end anywhere from 13-15 chapters.

The first thing Myungjun realized when he walked into the other classroom was that he was walking into a fight. He’d dodged a punch, not meant for him, first thing through the door. The one throwing the punch was some student he didn’t recognize. He did however recognize Park Jinwoo who had backed up into him when he opened the door, dodging the punch just as easily as Myungjun had. The other student was yelling, something about something Jinwoo had done and Myungjun realized this student had started it. Much like the rumors had said, Park Jinwoo did not start fights, he finished them. Like this one. 

The other student was on their ass in seconds and no one else in the classroom had moved. Yet Myungjun could see this was commonplace behavior from the looks on their faces, dispassionate as they looked down at the defeated. The scary thing was that not a single one of them thought to check on him despite the fact his nose was bleeding. Instead the student scuttled back and away as if he’d been burned when Myungjun thought to try it. His eyes wide staring back at Park Jinwoo. One glance at him only showed smoldering brown eyes.

With a huff Myungjun gave up being nice and turned back to the smaller male. He looked pleased, too pleased. Swallowing hard Myungjun held up his lunch, a simple sandwich that would tide him over until he got home to cook. And hopefully coax Rocky out of the shrine with the prospect of real food instead of just an offering. Then again he wondered if he’d even be able to actually eat himself from the look Park Jinwoo was giving him. The younger motioned him out of the classroom and away from the safety of numbers he’d been hoping for. 

They headed towards the roof and Myungjun reminded himself of all the public friendly spells there were for a fall. Though he doubted that was what would happen. Something told him that they wouldn’t be eating alone either, but when they reached the roof he was surprised to find it empty. A bit windy and chilly but not unbearable as they settled into a spot out of the wind. The demonic feeling that suffocated the air of the main building was a little less up here. 

Though Myungjun could still clearly see the spider on Park Jinwoo’s forearm. It was enough of a reminder of what he was here for and exactly what kind of situation he was in. Though he noticed it also looked different today, more faded than it had looked before. Still the demonic energy from it was the same, It pulled at him, his lips tingling in memory. He tried not to think about it or the many kisses he’d had so far that weren’t all mark related. 

“Myungsoon,” Park Jinwoo’s deep voice broke his thoughts and Myungjun found himself swallowing at how attractive even his fake name sounded from it. Their eyes locked as he looked over when the other didn’t continue. “Tell me about you.” It wasn’t a demand like he’d been expecting and it caught Myungjun off guard as the other male opened the lunch he’d brought not even looking at it. Deep, intense eyes instead still staring at him as if there was something fascinating there. 

“What do you want to know?” Myungjun skirted the question playing with the hem of his skirt, his own lunch in his other hand. He used it to hide the worried look on his face by taking a bite. This wasn’t how he’d expected things to go. The lingering thought of ‘what if’ surfaced again wondering if maybe this whole thing was a trap set by the demon. That maybe it wasn’t Jinwoo that had kissed him any of those times. That it was just the demon giving him what he thought he wanted, what most high school girls wanted. Which was still somehow what he wanted. But he wasn’t going to think about that. 

“Just tell me about you. You’re new here, and I’m very interested.” There was a wink with that line and for some reason it didn’t feel like Myungjun was talking to the Park Jinwoo who had been possessed for who knew how long. He could pretend it if weren’t for the spider’s mark on an otherwise decent looking forearm. Still he gave in giving little details about himself not expecting anything in return. Not hoping for anything in return. Unexpectedly he got them anyway. Little insights into Park Jinwoo’s life, not a demon’s. 

It was nice. Nicer than he knew it should be, as if he were on a date. The thought was dismissed as soon as it sprung up, waved away as wishful thinking. He felt a stab of guilt for Moonbin wondering if this was how he made him feel when he wasn’t trying to. Still the guilt was there in the back of his mind, had been since he’d talked to Eunwoo. Knowing things just happen, didn’t keep him from analyzing his own behavior after all. Yet his thoughts couldn't stay in guilt as he genuinely enjoyed his time with Jinwoo.

Of course he wondered, worried, and fretted over what would happen everytime the other moved or looked at him. There was something in his eyes that Myungjun recognized, not the demon but interest. And in a way that was scarier than if Jinwoo were uninterested. Him having a one sided little crush was acceptable, well not really but more acceptable than trying to think about if the host was interested. Things would be different once the demon was exorcised after all. Jinwoo might remember everything, he might remember bits and pieces, or most likely he’d remember nothing. As was common in demon possession. 

There was nothing common about this possession though and Myungjun knew it. The mark on Jinwoo’s arm seemed to be even more faded as lunch went on and he grew nicer. It was odd and Myungjun wasn’t sure how to think about it or the very, not quite platonic kiss he got the cheek. It was gentle, a promise of something and then Jinwoo had left him on the roof to go back to class. He wondered if he’d missed a good chance to get rid of the demon. But he had a feeling that wasn’t the case. Still he got the feeling he was missing something. Something that wasn’t happening on school grounds. 

He knew that meant he’d have to get himself invited to wherever it was that Park Jinwoo and Yoo Hyun hung out. That he would have to meet the others, figure out who was what and what he could do about it. Because it was obvious he wasn’t seeing everything from the way the demonic energy gathered and dispersed while still calling to him. Even though he wasn’t marked, Granted he’d realized the mark he was carrying might be a different one and located on the heart. He tried not think about that on the way home. 

The rest of the day had been uneventful and he hadn’t seen Jinwoo again. Yoo Hyun however had smiled lewdly at him after lunch. Idley he wondered what Rocky would say about it. About any of it, the lunch, the cheek kiss, the almost sweet way Jinwoo had been with him. He sighed pushing those thoughts away as well instead thinking about the text he’d gotten from Eunwoo. It was the name of a book, one he’d thought he’d seen in Moonbin’s office. He sighed again deciding not thinking was the best answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're all enjoying this fic.


	12. Book of Demons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be ending next chapter and it might feel rushed. I apologize in advance.

Much to Myungjun’s surprise when he got home the book he’d been trying to figure out how to get, without seeing Moonbin, was on his table. Standing next to it was a very exasperated Rocky, or maybe he was angry. Myungjun found it hard to tell sometimes with just a glance when the goat god had his godly appearance in place. Long hair that swept the floor and robes that didn’t need wind for the lift they had. Myungjun had only seen that look a few times. None of those times had bode well either. 

“Moonbin sent it.” Rocky pointed to the book but his eyes remained on Myungjun, scanning him over as if inspecting him. Myungjun knew it would be a lie to say it didn’t unnerve him. Still he went about his normal routine trying to ignore what felt like holes being bored into this back. If Rocky had something to say he’d say it, and say it quite pointedly as he’d learned through the years. Not to say wondering didn’t drive him mad enough to ask regardless. But he knew it was probably that the god was still upset from the night before. 

He didn’t bother looking at the god again until he’d changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt that made him infinitely more comfortable than the uniform did. Though he’d had to ignore the eyes in the back of his skull when he was changing too, as it seemed Rocky wasn’t inclined to providing privacy. Myungjun still ignored him though, if the god wanted to watch it wasn’t a big deal. He’d seen more than enough of his body while healing him from various mishaps anyway. Not to say he hadn’t shot him a questioning look, but he’d gotten no response.

Rocky didn’t say anything until Myungjun reached for the book. His hand darting out and stopping him. “This time Myungjun I think we might be in over our heads.” The words were soft, poignant. Swallowing Myungjun nodded because he agreed, even though he’d wanted Eunwoo and Moonbin to think they had it, he wasn’t really sure that they did. What he did know was that the book would tell them, and it sounded like Rocky had thumbed through it already. Still Rocky didn’t stop him from picking up the book, letting go of his hand and following him to the couch.

It had been a very long time since Rocky had sat close to him, but he did now. Myungjun tried to ignore it and the warmth from his presence. It only reminded him of lunch with Jinwoo and made something in his stomach twist. A thought niggling in the back of his mind that he no longer wanted to acknowledge, Rocky wasn’t Sanha. They weren’t like Eunwoo and Sanha, they weren’t. The thought drifted away on its own after enough text flitting from one eye to the other in a way that made his head spin. His eyes didn’t stop spinning until Rocky’s hand rested on his shoulder.

“You can’t read it can you?” Rocky’s voice was quiet again and Myungjun heard rather than felt himself give a sigh of defeat as he closed his eyes. They hurt from the spell on the book. He wasn’t strong enough to read it, not alone anyway. He shook his head in response and nestled the book between his and Rocky’s lap leaning heavily against his side. The words weren’t moving anymore so that was a good sign. He watched silently as Rocky flipped the pages when he tapped him, reading slowly over the important parts and skimming the rest. There was a lot of information. 

Three hours later Myungjun felt his head swimming for reasons different than a high level word scrambling spell. He’d found all the information he needed on the demon they were dealing with and the situation was a lot worse than he’d thought it was. And not for the first time he wondered if he really was cursed by landing in this kind of job. A side glance at Rocky, who’d patiently helped him read the book, and been nothing but sweet today made him take it back. There were perks, they were just limited. Still Rocky was probably right earlier. They were in over their heads.

The demon they were chasing was listed by name, and it wasn’t a good thing. While a demon’s name gave power over it to a point that wasn’t going to help them unless they could locate it’s main head. Vasnu, the spirit, well supposed spirit, Myungjun had lost was actually one of the offshoots of said demon. Not that the gods had seen fit to inform him of that before siccing him on it. Making it only natural that it got away, but he supposed that was how they tracked down Park Jinwoo to begin with. All Vasnu returned to Vasnuhet the demon, the head, the one calling the shots. 

Leaning away from Rocky, Myungjun tried to think about everything he’d learned so far for this case. The fact he’d already seen four Vasnu meant the demon was already too close to claiming a territory. And thinking back on it the Vasnu he’d chased down wasn’t that far from the school. Everything was making sense now and it wasn’t painting the nice and easy picture Myungjun was hoping for. Instead of dwelling on it too much he sent a message to Moonbin, thanking him and a text to Eunwoo doing the same. 

“We have our work cut out for us.” He told Rocky standing up thinking about the faded mark on Jinwoo’s arm and the disconnect with the demon that seemed to happen around midday. It was possible that whichever god Jinwoo was related to was related to the sun. There was only one way to find out and that was to continue going to lunch with him. And if it was true, he had a plan and he had an idea of who was housing the demon and when. After all when Jinwoo was there Yoo Hyun was not. The book had said many a thing about Vasnuhet. How to kill it wasn’t there, but it had given him an idea.


	13. Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end.

A week wasn’t a long amount of time in the grand scheme of things and Myungjun knew it. That didn’t stop it from being just shy of too long. He let out a sigh of relief looking at all the work he’d done if he’d been any later there would be no stopping the demon he’d found himself in charge of. Thankfully he’d made up with Moonbin, Eunwoo and Sanha were helping, and the demon taskforce had agreed to help. One of those assistance’s wasn’t without cost though owing a favor to Agatha was never desirable Myungjun had accepted. 

Still even with the extra help and the taskforce keeping the Vasnu in line Myungjun knew the one at risk, the one in the line of fire was himself. Yet the day it was scheduled to go down felt like any other school day so far. Park Jinwoo bullied him for something tirival, he pretended not to be smitten even more so than usual as Rocky was watching along with everyone else. The traps were all in place, and according to the plan everyone was in place as well. Not that he could feel any of them which was the whole point. They were to throw up the shield at the right time. Then it was on. 

Myungjun swallowed thickly ignoring the way his stomach fluttered and flipped at the slightest sound or movement near him. He thought he was going to be sick the moment Yoo Hyun took his seat next to him, smiling at him the way he always did. He tried not to think about it or the way the stone from Rocky’s temple heated in his pocket. Reacting to the demonic energy that was slowly surrounding them. By Eunwoo’s calculations a third of the school had been taken over already and if it were anyone but Myungjun, and his stupid luck, he’d call off the mission. The odds weren’t in anyone’s favor. 

The idea they were relying on him and his luck didn’t make Myungjun feel any better. But he was certain, too certain that at lunch time when the host spent all his time in the sun the demon retreated to a different host. One it could control as it did not flow with god’s blood unlike Jinwoo, which was the whole reason it had targeted him. Though it also meant the demon was trapped by time, the time it took to win over the blood and have true control of the host. Time it was out of if Myungjun had any say in it. 

Lunch, it felt so far away and yet all too close as Myungjun forced himself to focus on his lessons, not that he needed any of them. But it was important not to give a tell, any sign of their plans would ruin them. A shield the size they needed would already be a risk, which was why it was his job to keep Park Jinwoo occupied as well as Yoo Hyun, so that the transfer couldn’t take place. A feat he couldn’t have accomplished alone. When the lunch bell sounded he felt his heart hammer in his chest as he caught Yoo Hyun’s hand. 

“Have lunch with me?” He used the biggest doe eyes he could muster, he could feel the Vasnu under his skin the power present so close to its final form. So close, but so far. Myungjun batted his lashes and he could see Yoo Hyun falter, it was enough he felt the shield go up, slowly but it would make it. The demon wasn’t compatible with more than two main hosts at a time, and it couldn’t switch while Myungjun was touching one. Rocky wouldn’t allow it. Still time felt frozen as the shield rose all the way, Yoo Hyun finally catching on began trying to escape. 

Myungjun only smiled, a simple human host was nothing compared to the fortitude that he was gifted from a god. The trap was sprung, not that it would make things easier in the long run. There were far more eyes turning his way as the trap closed than he’d thought there would be. Almost his whole class turned in unison as the door burst open, Park Jinwoo stood there a smile more demonic than his aura on his face. It sent a shiver down Myungjun's spine and he wasn’t sure that it was all bad thing. It should have been.

“I knew you’d come.” The voice wasn’t human, not even remotely and Myungjun felt a shiver run up his spine, this time he knew it was a bad thing. There was recognition looming in the eyes of the demon, in Park Jinwoo’s eyes now glassy and void of humanity. But he knew, had planned for it to be this way, it wasn’t too late. Just by a scant few hours he’d stopped the demon from finishing it’s goal. “You can’t win just like you couldn’t win last time.” A cackle, dry and hoarse left the host’s lips. Myungjun swallowed as he pulled out the stone from Rocky’s shrine with his free hand.

To his surprise no one tried to stop him, he wondered if any of the demon minions could actually think for themselves. He knew they could when Yoo Hyun tried to dash the stone from his hand. It was too late, Rocky stood between them as well as a solid wall of stone. It was thin, Myungjun recognized it as the stone he’d been holding. It wouldn’t stop any of them, he was pretty sure it wouldn’t stop a normal human either. He noticed there were a few of them left, they all gasped before falling unconscious, Moonbin’s spell forcing them into a sleep. 

Knowing it was now or never Myungjun sidestepped the wall running top speed towards the demon, Rocky was by his side and before any of them knew they were tumbling from the window. Glass spraying everywhere, there was a cut on his cheek but it was from the web Park Jinwoo was slinging to stop his fall. Myungjun only thought it, a small look exchanged with his god to communicate it, and the ground was rising up to meet them. A cushioned landing for himself that only slammed into the demon. Myungjun caught a glimpse of Eunwoo and Sanha at a distance. Not close enough.

Park Jinwoo swung around the tree, a sound like a hiss echoing after him. They all knew it was merely a small bruise to be tossed to ground like that. Myungjun himself hadn’t suffered at all. Still it was enough to coax the demon to Rocky's and his own element. Out here he didn’t have to worry about innocent students and he could hear the task force storming the school. He only hoped they brought enough men for the job. It wasn’t his concern as he gave chase after the fleeing demon host, his early ground spells answering his call targeting Park Jinwoo. 

He could admit he felt bad. This plan was not going to be kind to Jinwoo's body. Most demon hunts weren’t easy on the host's body. Despite the best effort on the hunter’s part it wasn’t easy to trap a demon in a demon trap to begin with. Thus all the forces he’d called in. And even with that he’d only been able to cut off part of the school and the grounds beside it. He hoped that his thoughts about the host were correct, if they were it might be easier than the hunters with him thought it would be. If he caught up to the demon.

Running around in circles for twenty minutes made him feel foolish when he finally realized that the demon had fled to the roof. The only place that there was no land for him to rush him into or use. Or so he’d made the demon think. He had other uses for the roof, the sunlight on it filtering through the shield much stronger than it actually was. When he got up there he could see the demon struggling to keep it’s stronghold. Not that he was allowed to get too close with Rocky barring his path, watching, waiting.

“What have you done?” The voice was still far from human, but Myungjun could make out an echo of the host, of Jinwoo. It made his heart hurt as he stared at him, breathing heavy, covered in dirt, and battered further by the spells he’d laid in wait. Pillars of earth and stone had been shot up around the grounds as if the very earth had tried to attack him. It hadn’t but his and Rocky’s magic had. “What have you done?” The voice was louder this time, but fainter in feeling. 

Myungjun smiled stepping out from behind Rocky, even as the god tried to pull him back. He smiled back at him holding a hand up behind his back. Rocky didn’t move, didn’t react only tried to pull him back as he had been. Only Myungjun knew it wasn’t with the same force as before. He took a look at the god’s horns and prayed this worked, or if it didn’t that demons couldn’t kill gods. Even though he knew very well they could. “Park Jinwoo, I know you're in there.” 

The face distorted at the name, the demon was waning in power as the sunlight hit it at full force. Things were going exactly to plan. “Jinwoo I know you’re in there. Fight him, throw him off like you do everyday. He doesn’t own you, he can’t own you.” He continued his feet carrying him forward slowly. He kept his hand behind his back. He would only get one shot and he was not going to waste it. He watched Jinwoo crumple up on himself, hands clutching at his sides, hissing sounds coming from his lips. The demon couldn’t fight a god’s blood.

He swallowed hard and reminded himself this was part of the job as he leaned down eye level with the host and demon inside. He rested a hand on Jinwoo’s shoulder, deep brown eyes stared at him, human eyes. “Jinwoo cast him out, say his name and cast him out.” He knew this would be the easiest way to cast out the demon, though he had Rocky on standby with the chant, his stones ready for the next step if this didn’t work. 

“I don’t know his name.” Jinwoo sounded like himself but his body twisted further and he let out a grunt of pain. It hurt Myungjun’s heart to hear it. Over the week he’d only managed to fall further in love with the host he was watching suffer. He wanted to comfort him, to tell him it was okay. He only shook his head. “I don’t know his name.” It was more frantic this time as if he was asking. 

Myungjun knew better than to throw away his own chances. “You do. You just have to say it and cast it out.” He looked at Rocky who was now to his immediate right. If he didn’t say it this time there was only one way to do this. They didn’t have the luxury of time on their side after all. He could hear the chaos downstairs with the Vasnu, he could vaguely feel one running up the stairs. His lips tingling with the feeling of a mark that the demon had kept trying to apply, or had tried applying because of its host desire for him. He knew the last might be a thought of fancy but he hoped. It meant this was bound to work.

“I…” Jinwoo paused his eyes closing as his shoulder popped out of place. His scream filled the air then died off suddenly, as if cut off by willpower. “I cast you out Vasnuhet, I expel you from my body. By my blood you are commanded.” There was a wind suddenly around him, his body untwisting, but not unhurt as a dark cloud shot out of his body and into the sky, into the sunlight coiling like smoke filling it. Yet it looked like little webs to Myungjun, he smiled to himself things had gone off without a hitch. Probably.

“Vasnuhet,” He held up the crystal from behind his back. “I summon thee, to thy eternal rest.” He finished with the chant to trap the demon in the crystal watching as it slowly filled with the webs that had been trying to escape on the wind. It burned in his hand more than an evil spirit did but he didn’t dare drop it. Rocky was smiling at him and he felt the spell on his gender slipping. His skirt rose on the wooshing wind as the shield fell taking all magic with it. Including all of the Vasnu, all of his unactivated magic traps, and the gender spell. He felt suddenly bare even though his long hair still remained, not a spell of illusion but real. 

When the crystal stopped burning his hand he turned to the host, still bruised, with a dislocated shoulder, and a frightened look on his face. He would remember, well he would likely remember. He looked as stricken as he should. “I suppose I should explain a few things.” Myungjun sighed and straightened the skirt he was still wearing ignoring the look Rocky was shooting him. He couldn’t feel anymore demonic energy, the mark, or the remains of any Vasnu. He could feel Moonbin and Sanha approaching though. 

Explaining took longer than he wanted it to. The school’s general memory was wiped, another of Moonbin’s handy spells along with task force power. Park Jinwoo was the only one with power, thus the only one Moonbin would permit to remember. Not that Myungjun had any say in any of it. Instead being forced to correct the ground that had been disturbed by his spells. It wasn’t like the sudden appearance of a small hill that came out of nowhere could be easily explained away with some sort of non magical memory. 

Still Myungjun worried, fretted, and tried to forget himself. His mission was over, his involvement with Park Jinwoo was over. Unless the host had really fallen in love with him too, he tried not to think about that either or the what ifs if he was wrong. He could have been wrong a lot of times really, it could have cost them more than it did. Rocky, either because he could tell or because he didn’t care hadn’t said a word. Myungjun was inclined to believe it was because the god knew there wasn’t much he could say. A broken heart was something that magic couldn’t fix. Not really.

When he did see Jinwoo again, still dressed in the girl’s uniform and looking every bit the male he was, it wasn’t to the results he was hoping for. Jinwoo claimed to remember nothing about him or the demon. At least for the last month he said he’d lost his memory. He thanked him though, smiled softly and looked back at Moonbin with a look that said too much. Myungjun didn’t need to ask to know what he’d been offered, the same offer he’d received only Jinwoo was alone. Though he knew there were lone agents too.

Myungjun smiled, apologized for the injuries and once he was away from everyone else used the one spell that allowed him to get home instantly. It was draining, more than was proper when he was on a mission this close to home. But he couldn’t stand the thought of being seen, of being caught crying. Once he emerged from the shrine at home he collapsed on the bed and gave into the tears, ignoring the pained look Rocky gave him. He couldn’t ignore when the other started running a bath, ordering food, and bossing him around. It was nice though, he didn’t have to think.

He allowed himself to lie, just this once when he told Rocky he wanted to be alone. Soaking in the tub, eating his take out he cried. He couldn’t help it, he’d forgotten how it felt to love someone, even just a little and it hurt to know that love wasn’t returned. His thoughts lingered on Rocky. How the god must feel, might have felt for a long time. He’d never asked beyond the first year. The god’s reasons hadn’t mattered past that, they were too knee deep in missions and trouble all the time for it to matter much why they’d gotten there. It mattered now. He didn’t want Rocky to feel the way he was feeling. 

Holding onto that thought Myungjun allowed himself to think over how to approach it. It wasn’t like he could just come out and ask if the god had chosen him for love. If Rocky did indeed love him in a way that was more human than he let on. There wasn’t even a good way to ask it. Still he resolved to do so even when a message from Moonbin appeared, his check and permission for a few days off. He smiled as it went up in flames just after he’d read it and removed the check. Good old Moonbin. He thought about Moonbin’s feelings again and sighed. Things there weren’t quite back to normal either. 

After he finished sulking, well for the night he looked at his hair cascading over his shoulder and now even longer. He looked in the mirror and realized it wasn’t that bad, even if it was on his male form. He didn’t miss the female version of himself at all as he brushed his hair debating on how he should take care of it, or if he even wanted to. It was when Rocky offered to braid it that he found all his thoughts slipping out, racing from his mind as if they’d never get the chance again. Their eyes meeting in the mirror in just the same way they had when Rocky had first braided his hair. “Are you in love with me?” It was direct, more direct than he’d ever thought to be.

“Yes.” Rocky’s answer had him pulling away and turning around with a snap to his neck, it hurt. “Not in the way a human loves though.” The god sighed forcing Myungjun to turn back around and went back to his task of braiding while talking. He noted though he avoided his eyes in the mirror. “I can’t, I won’t be like that.” He sighed again and Myungjun felt it against his hair all while he felt his heart squeeze painfully at the tightness of Rocky’s voice. “We’re not like Eunwoo and Sanha. I don’t want to lose you like that.” Another sigh and the braid was undone, only for Rocky to start again.

“I chose you for the same reason all gods choose a human, love.” Myungjun felt the fingers in his hair still along with his heart. This wasn’t the answer he was expecting in a way. “But I can not go through that, I can’t watch you try to live with me, to love me the way a god loves. Magic, all magic comes with a price. The price a god pays for loving a human is the same, it’s always the same. Watching that love die. Unless, like Eunwoo, that human gives up everything that makes them human.” He sighed undoing the braid again. “Like the magic we unleashed at the school we took land and reformed it. Eunwoo, as a human will reshape to a god.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Myungjun blurted out looking at the god over his shoulder. He’d never wanted to be a god. He’d never loved a god, not like that anyway and he got the feeling Rocky didn’t love him like that either. Not really. Or if he did he cared more about him as a human than whatever it was he was talking about when it came to Eunwoo. Though he trusted Eunwoo knew what he was doing as well. 

“No, that depends on the person.” Rocky shook his head and sighed again. “A human who becomes a god may lose all emotions but love, and become so consumed by it they quickly become a fallen god.” He finished the braid quickly this time. “Eunwoo won’t fall to that fate, his love unlike many humans will not shift. He’s steadfast. But so many humans that try that path turn away from what they loved, they will covet others, things, something just to feel consumed by it.” Myungjun nodded as it made sense. “I do not want that.” 

“I don’t want that either but…” He couldn’t help feeling guilty. What he wanted was what he couldn’t have either, at least not this time. There would be a next time though, there would always be a next time for human love. Another Jinwoo, or maybe someone better than Jinwoo. He wasn’t sure there was anyone better but he knew that he had well paid the price to find love. 

“There’s nothing to worry about. I love you in the way a god loves a human. I’ll be here by your side as long as you’ll let me, supporting you as long as you’ll let me.” Myungjun nodded, he wouldn’t let Rocky go either. As of now they were all each other had. Maybe they would always be all each other had. He did kind of hope not but he knew he could be in worse company. Like that of a human possessed by a demon who he still happened to fall in love with despite it all. With a sigh of his own Myungjun decided a vacation really was in order.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading 💖


	14. After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And an epilogue 💖

A month. It didn’t feel like it had been that long but Myungjun knew it was true as he flipped the page on his calendar. He wished he was looking at a blank one, but instead he was looking at the one he’d filled out, in pencil, for his last long mission. The one where he’d dressed as a high school girl, not the one he’d just finished with a tree spirit. Looking at it made him sigh wistfully and look over at Rocky’s shrine. It was disassembled at the moment as the goat god was cleaning it. When Rocky noticed him the god smiled. 

Myungjun smiled back, and it wasn’t quite as painful as it had been to do over the month. Though he still felt a subtle stab in his heart looking at the calendar, his thoughts filling with deep brown eyes and a boy he could have loved, things were okay. Better than he’d thought they’d be after Rocky confessed to his feelings, or something like feelings. Somehow things between them hadn’t changed, as if Myungjun had always known that Rocky loved him. He might have, really, just never addressed it. Because gods don’t love like humans do. 

It had taken him a while to settle into that fact though. A week roughly, give or take a few extra meltdowns in the heat of the moment. Because his vacation consisted of two, almost three days doing what he normally couldn’t. Then Moonbin had summoned him, in one of the most awkward ways to date, and assigned him a new mission. One that only he could do. He was starting to feel like that was a cop out of sorts, but it puffed up his pride so he’d done it. Thankfully it hadn’t landed him in quite the same mess the high school job had. 

From there it had been one mission after another, small ones mostly. Myungjun found himself less awkward with both Moonbin and Rocky because of it. In a way it felt like they’d only told him so that he’d know and nothing more. He supposed it was freeing, he’d had a crush once and it had been one sided back then he’d had to tell them to move from it as well. Still it did make things difficult, but it also distracted him from his own one sided love. Only he’d never see his again. No matter how Moonbin toted that Jinwoo would definitely come to be an agent. 

Shoving the thoughts aside, shaking them loose as he reached for an eraser to finally free himself of his own lingering thoughts, he smiled. He wasn’t unhappy today was a going to be a good day he told himself. There weren’t any missions, at least not yet and all he had to do was sit around the house all day and help clean. Well that’s all he planned to do anyway, it was only ten am and things could change. Drastically change he reminded himself when he heard the doorbell, a doorbell that normally never rang. 

With a sigh he wondered if it was some kind of messenger from Sanha or Eunwoo. They were currently off on the hunt for another rare, dangerous, and totally on Moonbin’s to have list, book. He knew what it was called but it had nothing to do with him, yet anyway. That he’d never have anything to do with dangerous books was a hope he’d hold on to, but not his breath. Still they were the type to pull pranks like hiring someone to show up with weeds at his door, granted the weeds were spell ingredients but he doubted that the delivery boy would know that. 

Checking the spy hole, one he’d installed with magic that was much fancier than a peephole he felt his blood go cold. It must have shown in his body language too as Rocky was by his side his seconds peering out as well. Instead of assurances or something like telling him what to do Rocky only chuckled and patted his back. Outside, on his doorstep looking abashed and guilty was Park Jinwoo. Who looked to be holding a letter, the paper of it distinct and well known to Myungjun. 

It took an exorbitant amount of time for him to get up the courage to open the door. Though after the one time Jinwoo neither moved nor rang the bell again. Myungjun supposed Moonbin had warned him that might happen. Yet he wondered if this was a good time to tell Rocky to forget cleaning and hide in the shrine. Even if it did happen to smell a bit moldy. He didn’t of course, he was over this. He wasn’t still in love with a boy two years younger than him and still in high school until the end of the year.

“Hello.” Myungjun knew he’d fumbled the word, the only word he’d said but he’d still fucked it up. And he could feel the heat on his face just as he could see it gathering on Park Jinwoo’s cheeks. Though there was a smile there, an apologetic one with just the smallest hint of nerves. Myungjun wasn’t sure he could force any kind of smile in the moment and it wasn’t like he’d confessed to Jinwoo himself, no only Rocky and Moonbin, and had the information forced out of him by Sanha. 

“I-Moonbin-I…” Jinwoo’s voice wasn’t quite solid either, it made Myungjun feel just a bit better about the situation. Maybe Moonbin hadn’t really told him that much after all. He watched as the slightly shorter male took a deep breath and stared into his eyes. It reminded him of all the rooftop lunches, they hadn’t been all bad. Nothing about Park Jinwoo had been all bad except the demon residing in him. Myungjun tried not to think about that or how good Jinwoo looked in street clothes, even if it was only a t-shirt and jeans. 

“Moonbin sent me to talk to you.” Was what finally came out and Myungjun felt a little defeated to hear it but he refused to let it show. Instead he tried to play nonchalance while looking over his shoulder debating if he’d let the other in. He wasn’t given the chance when the letter was shoved in his face with a nervous glance at it. Myungjun suddenly remembered the first time he’d received one like this. He’d been just as nervous to let it go for fear it really would burst into flames in his hands burning him. 

With a sigh he motioned the other inside. Rocky was already back to cleaning his shrine and Myungjun didn’t miss the look of wonder on Jinwoo’s face as he entered, he supposed to someone who wasn’t around magic it would be different. After all there were at least twenty candles of varying colors on his counter, not to mention the array of books strewn across the table with diagrams. All of which were of trees that looked more human than tree. He ignored them and told the other to get comfortable. 

Once Jinwoo was settled on the couch, openly staring at his apartment, well what little there was left to see which wasn’t much, he went about reading the letter. Which was more of a I told you so more than anything else. No explanation on why Moonbin had sent Jinwoo here with it, though he hadn’t been expecting one. He’d seen the words change as the paper changed hands. A handy high level spell that Myungjun knew was done by Eunwoo and not Moonbin himself. And once he was done with it the paper would catch aflame. 

“Do you want tea, water, or something?” Myungjun asked as he set the paper on the kitchen counter. He didn’t need to watch it, Eunwoo would have done it right after all. Jinwoo was watching it though, his face startled the moment it turned to ash. Then he was looking around as if he just remembered why he was there as he shook his head no. Which meant that now Myungjun had to join him, so he did only sitting on the floor, pretending to pay more attention to the books he was tidying than his guest. 

Three minutes passed before Jinwoo broke down. Not that Myungjun had been keeping track. “I asked Moonbin where you live because I wanted to apologize for how I was.” Myungjun nodded after the words but didn’t look up from the books he was still organizing at an amazingly slow pace considering he needed to bookmark seven places in each. Which he’d previously done with interconnecting papers and was now cursing himself for. “Myungso-Myungjun,” That had him looking up almost dropping the book he was working on. “I’m sorry.”

Sighing Myungjun finally left the books alone. He’d already gotten all the information needed from them for now anyway. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. You were possessed as I’m sure Moonbin told you. That means you weren’t really responsible for your actions. They weren’t that bad anyway, except against me you were relatively normal for a high schooler.” He looked away again he didn’t want to hear this, he didn’t want Jinwoo here, looking handsome, kissable, and just there. He’d already told himself to accept what he couldn’t have then it came knocking on his door. 

“NO.” Jinwoo’s voice was strong and had Myungjun whipping his head up to look at him again. “That’s not why I’m apologizing. I’m sorry but I chose to be like that to you. I also pretended to forget, I told you and Moonbin at first, that I didn’t remember anything. I did, I do. I remember everything but I lied because I couldn’t accept your gender at first.” Jinwoo was shaking his head in a way that spoke of chastising himself and Myungjun wasn’t sure what to do about it. Or the apology, or the knowledge that Jinwoo remembered. 

“It’s fine. It was traumatic.” Myungjun settled on after a few seconds, his eyes darting over to Rocky who was paying more attention than he let on. Not that there was any helping it unless the god put his shrine back together. But he knew that he wouldn’t until he was completely ready to. In a way he wanted this to be over with now so he could move on, forget himself, and not do something stupid like confess to a high school boy. Granted he knew that Jinwoo was a man, just about to graduate, and had better prospects than he thought he did. 

“It’s not fine Myungjun.” Jinwoo sighed this time and he could see he was frustrated, though at what Myungjun wasn’t sure. But he let him finish before he decided to speculate. “I chose to do that because the demon knew you, it knew who you were and it wanted to hurt you. I wouldn’t let it, not the way it wanted to because I liked you. I didn’t want to remember because I liked you, I liked girl you. Myungsoon the pretty girl who was maybe a just a bit funny and not like the other girls.” Myungjun felt a bit frozen at the confession. 

Myungjun wasn’t sure what to say, if he should say anything really. Instead he sat there silently watching Jinwoo appear to struggle with words again as he fiddled with a loose thread on his jeans. He took a moment to steal a glance at Rocky only see he’d completed his shrine, a soft green light coming from it in a go for it sort of way that made him smile, on the inside. He knew what the god meant, not that he was going to do it or anything. There wasn’t anything to act on anyway. 

It seemed Jinwoo had found his words again as he let out another soft sigh, this one was resigned and Myungjun realized it had barely been eight minutes since Jinwoo had arrived. It felt longer, time seemed to freeze even further when their eyes met again. “I didn’t just like you as a girl Myungjun, it’s been a month but even knowing you’re a man I can’t stop thinking about you.” A soft smile over took his face and Myungjun wished he didn’t want to kiss him in this moment, to do something he shouldn’t. There was no way this was reality.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t accept my feelings before. I’m sorry I bullied you for such selfish reasons. But I had to tell you, so that maybe I can forget you.” Jinwoo stood. “I’ll go now I’m sorry I just wanted you to know.” Myungjun stood with him, his heart beating ever so quickly as he stepped around the table stopping the other from leaving. In the back of his mind he thought about how this was his third confession and how three is sometimes the charm, because this time he had a confession of his own. 

“Don’t go. I…” Myungjun felt his face heating up as he thought about his feelings, all the thoughts he’d had during his time at the high school and how they centered around Jinwoo. “I like you, I liked you then even when I shouldn’t have. You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t and you were possessed by something you’re not.” He let out a dry chuckle at the pair they made before he found himself smiling, more meaningfully than he had in a month. There was red on Jinwoo’s ears now. Things were just as awkward as where they started.

“I should thank you.” Myungjun broke the silence that had settled and felt like it would last until one of them cracked, in a probably not very good way. “You protected me.” He only then realized he was holding Jinwoo’s hand as his thumb rubbed along the back of it. An action he must have taken subconsciously when the younger was about to leave. Still it was nice in his hand as he spoke. “Do you maybe want to start over? As us this time?” 

Jinwoo nodded and Myungjun felt his heart soar just a little bit even as he noticed where the other was looking. He almost expected the question, but something in his heart still tugged when it was asked. “Can I kiss you?” He nodded his assent as well. And this kiss was everything the kisses at the school weren’t, sweet, gentle, and real. Myungjun knew from it alone that they’d be just fine even as they settled into the couch mere inches apart talking about how Jinwoo was going to become an agent. Myungjun told himself to thank Moonbin later, and focused on the relationship he’d been truly wanting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've made it this far thank you for reading. I know for me it was quite hard at some points, but I love this story. I hope you did too.

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts always appreciated I know this is a bit different AU wise..but I really like it.


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